In connection with the wearing of charms by Nayars Mr. Fawcett writes as follows. "One individual (a Kiriattil Nayar) wore two rings made of an amalgamation of gold and copper, called tambak, on the ring finger of the right hand for good luck. Tambak rings are lucky rings. It is a good thing to wash the face with the hand, on which is a tambak ring. Another wore two rings of the pattern called triloham (lit. metals) on the ring finger of each hand. Each of these was made during an eclipse. Yet another wore a silver ring as a vow, which was to be given up at the next festival at Kottiur, a famous festival in North Malabar. The right nostril of a Sudra Nayar was slit vertically as if for the insertion of a jewel. His mother miscarried in her first pregnancy, so, according to custom, he, the child of her second pregnancy, had his nose slit. Another wore a silver bangle. He had a wound in his arm which was long in healing, so he made a vow to the god at Tirupati (in the North Arcot district), that, if his arm was healed, he would give up the bangle at the Tirupati temple. He intended to send the bangle there by a messenger. An Akattu Charna Nayar wore an amulet to keep off the spirit of a Brahman who died by drowning. Another had a silver ring, on which a piece of a bristle from an elephant's tail was arranged." Tattooing is said by Mr. Subramani Aiyar not to be favoured by North Travancore Nayars, and to be only practiced by Nayar women living to the south of Quilon. Certain accounts trace it to the invasion of Travancore by a Moghul Sirdar in 1680 A.D. In modern times it has become rare. The operation is performed by women of the Odda or Kurava caste before a girl reaches the twelfth year.