"Bathing," Mr.Subramani Aiyar writes, "is one of the most important religious duties of all Hindus, and of Brahmans in particular. A Nambutiri only wants an excuse for bathing. Every Nambutiri bathes twice a day at least, and sometimes oftener. It is prohibited to do so before sunrise, after which a bath ceases to be a religious rite on the other coast. The use of a waist-cloth, the languti excepted, during a bath in private or in public, is also prohibited. This injunction runs counter to that of the Sutrakaras, who say 'Na vivasanah snayat,' i.e., bathe not without clothing. The fastidious sense of bath purity occasionally takes the form of a regular mania, and receives the not inapt description of galappisachu or possession by a water-devil. Never, except under extreme physical incapacity, does a Nambutiri fail to bathe at least once a day." Before concluding the bath, the cloth worn when it was begun, and for which another has been substituted, is wrung out in the water. From this practice, a patch of indurated skin between the thumb and first finger of the right hand, where the cloth is held while wringing it, is commonly to be seen. Almost every Nambutiri examined in North Malabar was marked in this way. The Nambutiris observe sixty-four anacharams, or irregular customs, which are said to have been promulgated by the great reformer Sankaracharya. These are as follows:-- (1) You must not clean your teeth with sticks. (2) You must not bathe with cloths worn on your person. (3) You must not rub your body with the cloths worn on your person. (4) You must not bathe before sunrise. (5) You must not cook your food before you bathe. (6) Avoid the water kept aside during the night. (7) You must not have one particular object in view while you bathe. (8) The remainder of the water taken for one purpose must not be used for another ceremony. (9) You must bathe if you touch another, i.e., a Sudra. (10) You must bathe if you happen to be near another, i.e., a Chandala. (11) You must bathe if you touch polluted wells or tanks. (12) You must not tread over a place that has been cleaned with a broom, unless it is sprinkled with water. (13) A particular mode of marking the forehead with ashes (otherwise described as putting three horizontal lines on the forehead with pure burnt cow-dung). (14) You must repeat charms yourself. (You must not allow someone else to do it.) (15) You must avoid cold rice, etc. (food cooked on the previous day). (16) You must avoid leavings of meals by children. (17) You must not eat anything that has been offered to Siva. (18) You must not serve out food with your hands. (19) You must not use the ghi of buffalo cows for burnt offerings. (20) You must not use buffalo milk or ghi for funeral offerings.