Ezhuthachan (caste)
They mainly belong to the districts of Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad and Thrissur of Kerala, has also presence outside and other parts of India. There are more people in the teaching sector in the community. Ezhuthachan is a caste who have teaching as a traditional profession. There is an organization representing the community as "Ezhuthachan Samajam".
Zen
The butsudan is the altar in a monastery where offerings are made to the images of the Buddha or bodhisattvas. The same term is also used in Japanese homes for the altar where one prays to and communicates with deceased family members. As such, reciting liturgy in Zen can be seen as a means to connect with the Bodhisattvas of the past. Liturgy is often used during funerals, memorials, and other special events as means to invoke the aid of supernatural powers.