The following account of the Panans is given in the Gazetteer of Malabar. "The name is perhaps connected with pan, music. They follow the makkattayam family system (of inheritance from father to son), and practice fraternal polyandry. In South Malabar there are said to be four sub-divisions, called Tirurengan, Kodaketti (umbrella tying), Minpidi (fish catching), and Pulluvan, of which the last named is inferior in status to the other three. They are also divided into exogamous illams or kiriyams. They worship Kali, and inferior deities such as Parakutti, Karinkutti, Gulikan, and Kutti Chattan. Their methods of exorcism are various. If any one is considered to be possessed by demons, it is usual, after consulting the astrologer, to ascertain what Murti (lit. form) is causing the trouble, to call in Panans, who perform a ceremony called Teyattam, in which they wear masks, and, so attired, sing, dance, tom-tom, and play on rude and strident pipes. Other of their ceremonies for driving out devils called Ucchaveli seem to be survivals of imitations of human sacrifice, or instances of sympathetic magic. One of these consists of a mock living burial of the principal performer, who is placed in a pit which is covered with planks, on the top of which a sacrifice (homam) is performed with a fire kindled with jack (Artocarpus integrifolia) branches. In another variety, the Panan cuts his left forearm, and smears his face with the blood thus drawn. Panans also take part with Mannans in various ceremonies at Badrakali and other temples, in which the performers personate, in suitable costumes, some of the minor deities or demons, and fowls are sacrificed, while a Velicchapad dances himself into a frenzy, and pronounces oracles." It is further noted, in the Gazetteer of Malabar, that "to constitute a valid divorce, the husband pulls a thread from his cloth, and gives it to his wife's brother, saying 'Your parisha is over.' It is a traditional duty of the Panans to furnish a messenger to announce to an Izhuvan (or Tandan) girl's mother or husband (according to where she is staying) that she has attained puberty." In the Census Report, 1901, Anjuttan (men of the five hundred) and Munnuttan (men of the three hundred) are returned as sub-castes of the Malayalan Panans.