146 
here have more regara for the magic flute than for the 
divine voice issuing from the chank.” 
In Bengal the association of the chank with marriage 
is more intimate and deep than elsewhere ; no Bengali 
lady is properly or legally married unless chank bangles 
which should be lacquered red be placed upon her 
wrists. In the Madras Presidency, marriage bangles 
are used only by a few sections of the agricultural ‘and 
pastoral castes (V ellalans and Idaiyans). 
One of the most interesting facts brought to light 
during the present research is the weighty evidence 
we have that in former days the tali, the essential 
marriage symbol among Tamils, was directly connected 
with the chank, either composed of a piece of the shell 
or of a metal ornament in the form of a miniature chank 
shell. We find this marriage badge named specifically 
sankhu tali among four castes widely separated both 
geographically and in status and civilization. First are 
the Chanku tali Vellalans, a section of the great Vellalar 
caste, who wear, according to Winslow (Tamil and 
English Dictionary, Madras, 1862), a representation of 
the chank on either side of a central symbol. Unfortu- 
nately apart from this reference I have been unable to 
trace the location of these Vellalans at the present day, 
or to obtain any details of the custom. 
Two other castes with the same marriage badge 
occur on the West Coast, and it is sign‘ficant that one 
is undoubtedly of Tamil origin. T his is an immigrant 
branch of the Idaiyans known locally as Puvandans, 
settled in Travancore. On ceremonial occasions the 
women wear the Tamil Idaiyan dress while in ordinary 
life they attire themselves after the fashion of Nayar 
women. Their tali is known as saxkhu ta/i and a small 
ornament in the form of a chank is its most conspicuous 
feature. (Thurston, II, 366.) 
The other West Coast caste using a saxkhu tali is 
that of the Thandan Pulayans, a small division of the 
Pulayans who dwell in South Malabar and Cochin. 
The women dress in a leaf skirt made from the stems of 
a sedge called ¢handa which are cut into equal lengths, 
woven at one end and tied round the waist so that they 
hang down belew the knees. 
