Married women have the hair-knot on the left side of the head, like Nayar ladies. They cover the breast with a folded cloth, and never wear a bodice or other innovations in the matter of dress. The marriage ornament is called matra, and is in the shape of a maddalam or drum. Other neck ornaments are called entram and kuzhal. The todu, or ornament of Nayar women, is worn in the ear-lobes. Women mark their foreheads, like Nambutiri ladies, with sandal paste. The Variyars, Pushpakans, and Pisharatis, are said to constitute the three original garland-making castes of Malabar, appointed by Parasurama. At the present day, in all the important temples, except in South Travancore, where Kurukkals perform that function, garlands can only be prepared by one of these castes. The technical occupation of a Variyar in a temple is called kazhakam, which is probably derived from the Dravidian root kazhaku, to cleanse. Kazhakam is of two kinds, viz., malakkazhakam or garland-making service, and talikkazhakam or sweeping service, of which the former is more dignified than the latter. Under the generic term kazhakar are included making flower garlands for the temple, preparing materials for the offering of food, sweeping the beli offering, carrying lights and holding umbrellas when the god is carried in procession, having the custody of the temple jewels, etc. The Variyar is at the beck and call of the temple priest, and has to do sundry little services from morning till evening. He is remunerated with some of the cooked food, after it has been offered to the deity. The Variyars are to Saivite temples what the Pisharatis are to Vaishnavite temples. Their prayers are prominently addressed only to Siva, but they also worship Vishnu, Subramanya, Sasta, Ganesa, and Bhadrakali. Their chief amusement is the farce called Kuttappathakam, the hero of which is one Vankala Nikkan, and the heroine Naityar. An Ilayatu is the stage-manager, and a Pisharati the actor. Parangotan is the buffoon, and Mappa his wife. In the eighteenth century, a grand festival lasting over twenty-eight days, called mamangam, was celebrated in British Malabar. The above characters are represented as proceeding to this festival, which came off once in twelve years on the Magha asterism in the month of Magha, and is hence popularly called Mahamagha. The Variyar caste is governed in all matters by the Nambutiri Brahmans, but they have their own priests. The Ilayatus believe that they were the preceptors of all the Ambalavasi castes in former times, but were dislodged from that position owing to most of them employing priests from among their own caste men. Even at the present day, Ilayatus are known to express their displeasure when they are asked to drink water from a Variyar's well. As, however, consecrated water from the Nambutiris is taken to a Variyar for its purification, they entertain no scruples about cooking their food there, provided they carry with them the aupasana fire.