Note 48 — D.

Marriage. 6. The betrothal is sealed by the exchange between the two fathers of platters of liquor, one containing two rupees placed there by the boy’s father, which the girl’s father takes. They have the usual matmangar ceremony.48 The usual anointing of bride and bridegroom follows, which is begun by the fathers on each side taking up a little oil in a wisp of dûb grass and sprinkling it on the bride or bridegroom, as the case may be. During this time he calls out,—“If my son or daughter is happily married we will worship the ancestors (pitra) with a fire offering of butter and a goat or fowl.” Here follows a curious emblematical ceremony. The boy’s mother sits on a grain mortar (okhari) in the centre of the marriage shed, and her son is seated in her lap. Then the boy, his mother, and the wedding water-pot (kalsa) are all tied together with a string and a fire sacrifice (hom) is done with sugar and butter. The boy’s sister holds her hand over the blaze and collects some lampblack on her fingers, which she rubs on her brother’s eyes. Then the mother comes under the influence of the goddess Amina Bhawâni and begins to tremble, on which her friends throw some rice over her and take her into the house, whence she soon emerges again to do the wave ceremony (parachhan). She holds a vessel (lota) full of water, a grain pounder (mûsal), and a tray (thâli), on which is placed a lighted lamp. First she waves a lump of dough five times over her son’s head; she does the same with the lota, and pours the water on the ground. Then she moves the rice-pounder five times over him, and with it touches the spot on the ground where the water was poured out. He finally salutes her with the pâêlagi form, and she says,—“Go son! Go son!” When he arrives at the bride’s door her father meets him with a new basket, the emblem of his craft, in which is a new loin-cloth dyed with turmeric. This is put on the bridegroom, and the basket is handed to one of his friends. All the friends on both sides stand at the bride’s door, beat drums and dance. In this dance the men fasten rattling bangles (ghungru) on their ankles and play on the tambourine (dafla), flute (bânsuli), and large drum (mândar), while they leap high in the air and shout. Then they retire to rest under a tree outside the village. One of the bride’s friends then comes and washes their feet, after which the boy’s father sends a loin cloth (dhoti) and one hundred cakes (pûri) to the bride. These, when they arrive, are carefully counted, and twenty-five are sent back to the bridegroom, who gives a piece to each of his friends.