Satani women dress just like Vaishnava Brahman women, from whom it is difficult to distinguish them. In former days, the Satanis used to observe a festival called ravikala (bodice) utchavam, which now goes by the name of gandapodi (sandal powder) utchavam. The festival, as originally carried out, was a very obscene rite. After the worship of the god by throwing sandal powder, etc., the Satanis returned home, and indulged in copious libations of liquor. The women threw their bodices into vessel, and they were picked out at random by the men. The woman whose bodice was thus secured became the partner of the man for the day. For the following note on Satanis in the Vizagapatam district, I am indebted to Mr. C. Hayavadana Rao. Satani is said to be the shortened form of Saththadavan, the uncovered man. They are prohibited from covering three different parts of their bodies, viz., the head with the usual tuft of hair, the body with the sacred thread, and the waist with the customary strip of cloth. All devout Satanis shave their heads completely. [There is a proverb "Tie a knot on the Satani's tuft of hair, and on the ascetic's holy thread." The Satanis shave the whole head, and the Sanyasis have no sacred thread.] [147] The caste is divided into exogamous septs, or intiperulu. The custom of menarikam, according to which a man marries his maternal uncle's daughter, is observed. The remarriage of widows and divorce are not allowed. Attempts have been made by some members of the caste, in other parts of the Madras Presidency, to connect themselves with Chaitanya. But, so far as the Vizagapatam district is concerned, this is repudiated. They are Ramanuja Vaishnavas of the Tenkalai persuasion. Their gurus are known as Paravasthuvaru--a corruption of Paravasu Deva, whose figure is on the vimana of the Srirangam temple, and who must be visited before entering the principal sanctuary. They live at Gumsur in Ganjam, and have Sadacharulu, or ever-devout followers, who act as their agents in Vizagapatam. They brand the shoulders of Satanis with the Vaishnavite emblems, the sankha and chakra, and initiate them into the mysteries of the Vaishnava religion by whispering into their ears the word Ramanuja. The Satani learns by heart various songs in eulogy of Srirangam and its deity, by means of which he earns his living. He rises in the early morning, and, after a bath, adorns his forehead and body with the Vaishnavite namam, ties round his clean-shaved head a string of tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) beads known as thirupavithram, puts a tulsi garland round his neck, and takes a fan called gajakarnam, or elephant's ear, in his right hand. In his left hand he carries a copper gourd-shaped vessel. He is generally accompanied by another Satani similarly got up. When begging, they sing the songs referred to above, and collect the rice which is given to them in their vessels. At the end of their round they return home, and their wives clean the rice, bow down before