The origin of stanom is by no means clear and is more or less a matter for speculation." The learned author proceeds to give the three modes of the origin of sthanams, namely, (1) in a ruling family " it was considered necessary in the circumstances that for the maintenance of the dignity of the ruler he should own properties in which the 930 members of the tarwad as such had no right or interest and which would pass with the Crown to his successor": sthanams in the families of Zamorin, Palghat, Wulluvanad and other Rajas are given as instances of this class of sthanams; (2) " in the case of some chieftains and public officers, sthanams were created by the ruling king, who, when he appointed the head of a particular family to an office with hereditary succession attached also certain lands for the maintenance of the officer holder ": Para Nambi is given as a prominent instance of this class; and (3) " when a family became very opulent and influential, it was sometimes deemed necessary in order to keep its social position and influence that the head should be able to maintain a certain amount of state, and for that purpose the members of the family agreed to set apart certain property for him, and such property, would descend to the head of the family for the time being ".