Melakkaran.--Concerning the Melakkarans, Mr. F. R. Hemingway writes as follows. [40] "The name means musicians, and, as far as Tanjore is concerned, is applied to two absolutely distinct castes, the Tamil and Telugu Melakkarans (of whom the latter are barber musicians). These two will not eat in each other's houses, and their views about dining with other castes are similar. They say they would mess (in a separate room) in a Vellalan's house, and would dine with a Kallan, but it is doubtful whether any but the lower non-Brahman communities would eat with them. In other respects the two castes are quite different. The former speak Tamil, and, in most of their customs, resemble generally the Vellalans and other higher Tamil castes, while the latter speak Telugu, and follow domestic practices similar to those of the Telugu Brahmans. Both are musicians. The Telugus practice only the musician's art or periyamelam (band composed of clarionet or nagasaram, pipe, drum, and cymbals), having nothing to do with dancing or dancing-girls, to whom the chinnamelam or nautch music is appropriate. The Tamil caste provides, or has adopted all the dancing-girls in the district. The daughters of these women are generally brought up to their mother's profession, but the daughters of the men of the community rarely nowadays become dancing-girls, but are ordinarily married to members of the caste. The Tamil Melakkarans perform both the periyamelam and the nautch music. The latter consists of vocal music performed by a chorus of both sexes to the accompaniment of the pipe and cymbals. The class who perform it are called Nattuvans, and they are the instructors of the dancing-women. The periyamelam always finds a place at weddings, but the nautch is a luxury. Nowadays the better musicians hold themselves aloof from the dancing-women. Both castes have a high opinion of their own social standing. Indeed the Tamil section say they are really Kallans, Vellalans, Agamudaiyans, and so on, and that their profession is merely an accident." The Vairavi, or temple servant of Nattukottai Chettis, must be a Melakkaran. Mellikallu.--Under the name Mellikallu or Mallekalu, seventy-six individuals are returned, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as "hill cultivators in Pedakota village of Viravalli taluk of the Vizagapatam Agency, who are reported to constitute a caste by themselves. They pollute by touch, have their own priests, and eat pork but not beef." Melnadu.--Melnadu, or Melnatar, meaning western country, is the name of a territorial sub-division of Kallan and Shanan. Melu Sakkare.--A name, meaning western Sakkare, by which Upparas in Mysore style themselves. They claim descent from a mythical individual, named Sagara, who dug the Bay of Bengal. Some Upparas explain that they work in salt, which is more essential than sugar, and that Mel Sakkara means superior sugar.