Namakatti (the holy stick) is used to draw the naamam on the body by Vaishnavites, which represents the place where Sriman Narayana is said to reside.
This holy stick (srichuranam) is made with ash, or vibhuthi, and clay. One of the most visible external symbols of Hindu identity is the mark that many of us wear on our foreheads. 5pecies a pack.