Rushipanchami.--On the fifth day of Bhadrapada month to eat five balusu (Canthium parviflorum) leaves, and to drink a handful of ghee.
Gomayani.--To eat three balls of cow-dung every morning for a year.
Lakshvattulu.--To burn one lac (100,000) of wick lights.
Lakshmivarapu Ekadasi.--From the time when the eleventh day after new moon falls on a Thursday, to observe a fast, and to worship the tulasi plant for eleven days.
Margasira Lakshmivaram.--The mistress of a family will often devote herself to the worship of Lakshmi on every Thursday of the month of Margasira, in order to propitiate the goddess of wealth.
Somisomavaram.--A special worship performed on every new moon that falls on Monday, with the giving away of 360 articles, two or three on each occasion. This is performed with the view of attaining atonement for sins, and happiness in a future state.
There are many ceremonies performed by women to whom nature has denied the much-coveted joys of maternity. Among these may be noted:--
Asvadhapradakshinam.--In villages is often to be seen a margosa (Melia Azadirachta)tree, round which a pipul tree (Ficus religiosa) has twined itself. The ceremony consists in a woman walking round and round this tree several times daily for a long period.
The sub-divisions of the Telugu Brahmans are as follows:--
1. Murikinadu. 2. Telaganyam. 3. Velnadu. 4. Kasalnadu. 5. Karnakammalu. 6. Veginadu. 7. Konesime. 8. Arama Dravida. 9. Aradhya. 10. Prathamasaki.
1. Aruvela. 2. Nandavarikulu. 3. Kammalu. 4. Pesalavayalu. 5. Pranganadu.
1. Pudur Dravida. 2. Thummagunta Dravida.
All these sections are endogamous, and will eat together, except the Tambalas, who correspond to the Gurukkals among the Tamil Brahmans. Vaidikis are supposed to be superior to Niyogis. The former do not generally grow moustaches, while the latter do. For sradh ceremonies, Niyogis do not generally sit as Brahmans representing the ancestors, Vaidikis being engaged for this purpose. In some places, e.g., the Nandigama taluk of the Kistna district, the Niyogis are not referred to by the name Brahman, Vaidikis being so called. Even Niyogis themselves point to Vaidikis when asked about Brahmans.
Velnadu, Murikinadu, and Veginadu seem to be territorial names, and they occur also among some of the non-Brahman castes. The Aradhyas are dealt with in a special article (see Aradhya). Among the Karnakammas are certain sub-sections, such as Ogoti and Koljedu. They all belong to Rig Saka. Of the Telaganyams, some follow the Rig Veda, and others the Yejur Veda (both black and white Yajus). The Nandavarikulu are all Rig Vedis, and regard Chaudeswari, the goddess of the Devangas, as their tutelary deity. When a Nandavariki Brahman goes to a Devanga temple, he is treated with much respect, and the Devanga priest gives up his place to the Nandavariki for the time being. The Nandavariki Brahmans are, in fact, gurus or priests to the Devengas.