rice by the child. Choulam: The first haircut ceremony of the boy/ girl. Upanayanam: The wearing of sacred thread, known as poonool in Malayalam (only for boys). Mahaanamneevrutham (Aanduvrutham): Mahaavrutham Upanishadvrutham Godaanam: Rites as part of thanks-giving to the Aacharyan (priest or teacher), which includes giving cows. Samaavarthanam: A long ritual for the completion of the above said Vedic education. Marriage Agniadhaanam: A rite performed as an extension of Oupaasanam and introduction to Sroutha rites, after the death. Deities Paradevatha (goddess): Vannery Chitrakoodam, Pazhayannur Bhagavathy, Chazhur Pazhayannur Bhagavathy Paradevan (god): Vishnu (Sree Poornathrayeesa), Tiruvanchikulathappan (Lord Shiva of Thiruvanchikulam between North Paravur and Kodungallore) Other deities: Chottanikkara Bhagavathy, Pulpalli Thevar and many more Naming practice of male Thampuran In the Cochin royal family all the male Thampurans were named according to the following convention. Eldest son - Goda Varma Second son - Rama Varma Third son - Kerala Varma Fourth son - Ravi Varma. Naming practice of female Thampuran In the Cochin royal family the female Thampurans were named according to the following convention. First daughter– Amba Second daughter – Subhadra This naming convention is followed again to the third daughter and fourth etc. Both the female and male members are called by the name "Thampuran" and have same last name (Thampuran). Parukutty Nethyar Amma Maharaja Rama Varma (popularly known as Madrassil Theepetta Thampuran), who reigned from 1914 to 1932, was assisted by a particularly able consort named Parukutty Nethyar Amma. She was a member of the family that had the traditional honour of anointing the kings of Palakkad. She married the Maharaja, then fourth in line to the succession when she was fourteen years old in 1888. Her husband ascended the throne as a result of the abdication of his predecessor. Since the Maharaja was a scholar and had other interests, she took over the finances of the state. Under her guidance salaries were quadrupled and the increased revenue earned her a 17-gun salute. Parukutty Nethyar Amma was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind Medal by King George V in 1919 for public work and came to be known as Lady Rama Varma of Cochin. Cochin royal family today Members of the dynasty are spread all over the world. The family is one of the world's largest royal families, numbering more than 1000 people, and many members of the family still live in and around Thripunithura, Thrissur (Chazhur), and other parts of Kochi.