sentences:  'pāni' means "hands" and 'vāda' comes from the verb 'vādanam' meaning "playing"; altogether meaning the one who plays with hands, since Nambiars are assigned to play the holy drum "Mizhavu", which they play with their hands only.Nambiars are assigned to play the drum "Mizhavu" in ritualistic temple performances like Koodiyattam and koothu in Koothambalams inside the temples.These highly refined art forms narrating stories from Hindu epics and puranas, combined with prevailing socio-political events, were originally performed in temples in connection with festivals by members of this community along with Chakyar community.