There are certain privileges possessed by Paraiyans, which they could never have gained for themselves from orthodox Hinduism. They seem to be survivals of a past, in which Paraiyans held a much higher position than they do now. It is noted by Mr. M. J. Walhouse [53] that "in the great festival of Siva at Trivalur in Tanjore the headman of the Pareyars is mounted on the elephant with the god, and carries his chauri (yak-tail fly fan). In Madras, at the annual festival of Egatta, the goddess of the Black, [54] now George, Town, when a tali is tied round the neck of the idol in the name of the entire community, a Pareyan is chosen to represent the bridegroom. At Melkotta in Mysore, the chief seat of the followers of Ramanuja Acharya, and at the Brahman temple at Belur, the Holeyas or Pareyars have the right of entering the temple on three days in the year specially set apart for them." At Melkote, the Holeyas and Madigas are said to have been granted the privilege of entering the sanctum sanctorum along with Brahmans and others on three days by Ramanuja. In 1799, however, the right to enter the temple was stopped at the dhvajastambham, or consecrated monolithic column. At both Belur and Melkote, as soon as the festival is over, the temples are ceremonially purified. At Sriperumbudur in the Chingleput district, the Paraiyans enjoy a similar privilege to those at Tiruvalur, in return for having sheltered an image of the locally-worshipped incarnation of Vishnu during a Muhammadan raid. It is noted by Mr. Stuart that the lower village offices, the Vettiyan, Taliari, Dandasi or Barike, and the Toti, are, in the majority of Madras villages, held by persons of the Paraiyan caste. Paraiyans are allowed to take part in pulling the cars of the idols in the great festivals at Conjeeveram, Kumbakonam, and Srivilliputtur. Their touch is not reckoned to defile the ropes used, so that other Hindus will pull with them. With this may be compared the fact that the Telugu Malas are custodians of the goddess Gauri, the bull Nandi, and Ganesa, the chief gods of the Saiva Kapus and Balijas. It may also be noted that the Komatis, who claim to be Vaisyas, are bound to invite Madigas to their marriages, though they take care that the latter do not hear the invitation. Mr. Clayton records that he has heard well-authenticated instances of Brahman women worshipping at Paraiyan shrines in order to procure children, and states that he once saw a Paraiyan exorciser treating a Brahman by uttering mantrams (consecrated formulæ), and waving a sickle up and down the sufferer's back, as he stood in a threshing floor.