In an account of an annual ceremony at Trichinopoly in connection with the festival of Kulumai Amman, who is the guardian deity against epidemics, Bishop Whitehead records [146] that "a very fat pujari (priest) of the Vellala caste is lifted up above the vast crowd on the arms of two men. Some two thousand kids are then sacrificed, one after the other. The blood of the first eight or nine is collected in a large silver vessel holding about a quart, and handed up to the pujari, who drinks it. Then, as the throat of each kid is cut, the animal is handed up to him, and he sucks, or pretends to suck the blood out of the carcase." Of proverbs relating to the Vellalas, the following may be cited:-- Agriculture is no agriculture, unless it is performed by the Vellalas. The Vellala ruined himself by gaudy dress; the courtesan ruined herself by coquetry and affectation. Of all the sections of the Sudras, the Vellala is foremost; and, of all the thefts committed in the world, those of the Kallans are most notorious. Though you may face an evil star, never oppose a Vellala. Though apparently the Vellala will not ruin you, the palm leaf, on which he writes about you, will certainly ruin you for ever. In the Madras Census Report, 1891, Vellala is recorded as a caste of Jains. In this connection, it is noted by Mr. Hemingway that the Nainans or Nayinars (q.v.) and the Karaikkattans of the Udaiyarpalaiyam taluk are thought to be descended from Jains who were converted to the Hindu faith. Vellan Chetti.--A name, denoting Vellala merchant, taken by some Vellalas. Velli (silver).--See Belli. Velnati.--A sub-division of Kapu, named after the old Velnadu division of the Telugu country. Veloma.--Defined as "one of the two classes of Sudras, viz., Anuloma and Veloma. The term Veloma is applied to those born of a lower caste male and higher caste female." Veluttedan.--The Veluttedan is defined in the Madras Census Report, 1891, as "the washerman of the Nayars and higher castes in Malabar. He calls himself a Nayar, and, in many cases, was returned as of that main caste, but these have been separated in abstraction. The caste is called Vannattan in North Malabar. The Veluttedans follow the marumakkatayam law of inheritance in the north, and makkatayam in the south. They have tali-kettu and sambandham separately. Their dress and habits are the same as those of Nayars." In the Madras Census Report, 1901, Bannata is given as a Canarese synonym for the caste name. In the Travancore and Cochin Census Reports, 1901, Veluttetan and Veluthedan are given respectively as an occupational title and sub-division of Nayars.