Every Nambutiri is, theoretically, a life-long student of the Vedas. Some admit that religious study or exercise occupies a bare half hour in the day; others devote to these a couple of hours or more. It is certain that every Nambutiri is under close study between the ages of seven and fifteen, or for about eight years of his life, and nothing whatsoever is allowed to interfere with this. Should circumstances compel interruption of Vedic study, the whole course is, I believe, re-commenced and gone through da capo. A few years ago, a Nambutiri boy was wanted, to be informally examined in the matter of a dacoity in his father's illam; but he had to be left alone, as, among other unpleasant consequences of being treated as a witness, he would have had to begin again his whole course of Vedic study. The Nambutiris are probably more familiar with Sanskrit than any other Brahmans, even though their scholarship may not be of a high order, and certainly none other is to the same extent governed by the letter of the law handed down in Sanskrit. As already said, the Nambutiris are for the most part landholders, or of that class. They are also temple priests. The rich have their own temples, on which they spend much money. All over Malabar there are to be seen Pattar Brahmans, wandering here and there, fed free at the illams of rich Nambutiris, or at the various kovilakams and temples. And they are always to be found at important ceremonial functions, marriage or the like, which they attend uninvited, and receive a small money present (dakshina). But the Nambutiri never goes anywhere, unless invited. From what I have seen, the presents to Brahmans on these occasions are usually given on the following scale:--eight annas to each Nambutiri, six annas to each Embrantiri, four annas to each Pattar Brahman. The Nambutiri is sometimes a money-lender.