This was a custom which was in force in the ancient temples of Kerala from the 9th century A.D. पट्ट means a 'Sanskrit pandit' 'Paṭṭas' is used as its plural. To give instructions in शास्त्रस् and उपनिषद्स् to the three upper classes and to read in public at fixed times the पुराणस् , to make people more and more religious minded, it was the custom to appoint पट्टस् in temples in ancient Kerala. This position which was the loftiest that could be attained by a pandit of those times was called by the name पट्टत्तान . From the 9th century A. D. references are found about पट्टत्तान in official records. In all important temples a मावारतपट्ट used to be appointed. His duty was to read and explain महाभारत to people.

ऊरालर्स् who conducted the day to day administration of the temples and the कोइलधिकारि who represented the supreme authority, and the King, jointly granted the पट्टत्तान to deserving people. Pandits used to come to temples and engage themselves in religions polemics to make themselves worthy of the grant of पट्टत्तान . The पट्टस् were entitled to some profits from the temples. Records of the 3rd century मलयालम् Era regarding the routine expenditure in the तिरुवल्ल temple mention about 'five नाज़्हिस् of rice to be given to each of the पट्टस् within the temple'. पट्टस् also were given many lands free of tax as were given to ऊरालर्स् . In the Manalikkara order of 1236 A.D. and the Padmanābhapura order of 1237 A.D. mention is made about these grants. पट्टस्थान and ऊराय्मस्थान became hereditary after some time and began to decline in importance.

Even the meaning of the word पट्टत्तान underwent a change. In Cochin it meant the ceremony of giving feasts followed by money-bags to invited ब्रह्मिन्स् by the Kings to obtain पुण्य for the dead members of the royal family. The zamorins of Calicut meant by पट्टत्तान the act of giving fifty-one bags each containing fiftyone rupees to the successful candidates in शास्त्रार्थ contests held at the Tali temple during the period between रेवती and तिरुवातिर ( अर्द्रा ) in the month of तुलाम् . There is a difference of opinion regarding the number of money-bags and the amount in each. उल्लूर् स्। परमेश्वर इयेर् in his विज्ञानदीपिका (page 148) states that the number of bags were 46 and the money in each was two hundred rupees. Of these, twelve bags each were sanctioned for प्राभाकर मीमांसा and भाट्टमीमांसा , nine for व्याकरण , and thirteen for वेदान्त . According to certain records 48 bags were given in the year 1679 A.D. Contests in प्राभाकर मीमांसा were held on the southern temple-tower gate of the Tali temple and in व्याकरण on the southern platform of the northern temple tower gate of the same temple. The custom of giving hundred and one rupees each to one hundred and eight scholars in श्री पद्मनाभस्वामी temple of Trivandrum is also called पट्टत्तान .