Tulabharam.--In his description [66] of the Tulabharam or Tulapurushadanam ceremony performed by the Maharajas of Travancore, Mr. Shungoony Menon explains that the latter word is a compound of three Sanskrit words, tula (scales), purusha (man), and danam (gift, particularly of a religious character). And he gives the following description of the ceremonial, for the performance of which a Tulamandapam is erected, wherein the scales are set up, and the weighing and other rites performed. On the eighth day "after worshipping and making offerings, the Maharaja proceeds to the Tulamandapam, where, in the south-east corner, he is sprinkled with punyaham water. Then he goes to the side room, where the 'nine grains' are sown in silver flower pots, where the acharya anoints him with nine fresh-water kalasas. Thence the Maharaja retires to the palace, changes clothes, wears certain jewels specially made for the occasion, and, holding the State sword in his right hand and the State shield in his left, he proceeds to the pagoda; and, having presented a bull elephant at the foot of the great golden flagstaff, and silks, gold coins, jewels and other rich offerings in the interior, he walks round by the Sevaimandapam, and re-enters the Tulamandapam. He walks thrice round the scales, prostrates himself before it, bows before the priests and elderly relatives, and obtains their sanction to perform the Tulapurushadanam. He then mounts the western scale, holding Yama's and Surya's pratimas in his right and left hand respectively. He sits facing to the east on a circular heavy plank cut out of fresh jack-wood (Artocarpus integrifolia), and covered with silk. He repeats mantras (prayers) in this position. The opposite or eastern scale then receives the gold, both coined and in ingots, till it not only attains equality but touches the ground, and the scale occupied by the Maharaja rises high. The Maharaja then comes down, and, sitting facing to the east, places the gold, the Tulupurusha pratima and other pratimas, with flowers, sandal paste, etc., in a basin of water, and, meditating on Brahma or the Supreme Being, he offers the contents to Brahmans generically." Of the gold placed in the scale, one-fourth is divided among the priests who conduct the ceremony, and the remaining three-fourths are distributed among Brahmans. For use in connection with the ceremony, gold coins, called tulabhara kasu, are specially struck. They bear on one side the Malayalam legend Sri Padmanabha, and on the other a chank shell.