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144
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MAY, 1896.
NOTES AND QUERIES. A COLLECTION OF NOTES ON MARRIAGE stolen. The bride's party go in search of the CUSTOMS IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY, thief. A boy dressed to represent him is arrested
THE following collection of notes on marriage by mistake. The bride's people, on this, admit customs are taken from an issue of the Pioneer. their inability to find the rogue. He is then Brahman ceremonies are very lengthy, but the
produced and formally conducted to the bride. essential portions are the following. On the
The Holeyas, or agrestic slaves of Kanara, bave wedding-day, the bridegroom, attired in cadjan, a still more quaint ceremonial. The youth's with his books and with a bundle of rice on
party goos to the bride's on a fixed day with rice, his shoulder, makes believe he is off to Benares
betel, and areca nuts, and waits all night outside to lead a holy life. The bride's father accosts
the hut, the groom being squatted on a mat him and persuades him to stay and marry his
specially made by the bride. Next morning the daughter. He is then accompanied to the marriage
bride comes and sits in front of him with pandal, and the bride is made over to him. The
a winnowing fan between them, filled with betel sacred fire is kindled and worshipped, the gods
leaf. Those present throw rice over the heads of are invoked and the talt or insignia of marriage
the couple. The ceremony lasts four days, during is tied round the bride's neck by the bridegroom.
which it is indispensable that one of the two Both then walk round the fire, and the bride.
should continually use the mat. On the last day groom, taking his bride's foot in his hands, places the couple take the mat to a river or tank holding it seven times on a mill-stone. This is the bind- fish, dip the mat in and catch some fish wbich ing part of the ceremony. After further prayers,
they let go off after kissing them. A feed comthe couple exchange garlands of flowers. Five or
ge garlands of flowers. Five or pletes the marriage. nine sorts of seed grains are mixed and sown in The Badagas of the Nilgiris are perhaps the special little earthen vessels. The couple water only Indian race among whom the custom of these for four days. On the fifth day the sprouts courtship prevails. The marriage is not binding are taken out and thrown into a tank or river. until the wife is about to become a mother. On the second night, the bride takes her hus- When this occurs the badge has to be promptly band outside and points out to him a parti- tied round the girl's neck. cular star and implies thereby that she will
The Kois, of Godavari, have an interesting remain as chaste as the goddess inhabiting
custom. Should the youth be poor, he carries off the star.
his bride by force, and, what is more, he may The severely conservative Nambari Brahmans select another man's wife for the purpose. The of Malabar have, of course, customs similar to wedding ceremony is beautifully simple. The their congeners of other parts, but one curious girl bends her head, the youth leans over her, and inexplicable feature in the ceremony is, that friends pour water on his head, and when the the parties go through a pretence of catchmg water has dropped from his to the bride's head, fish.
the twain are one. The Bants - the chief land-owning class in The Chenchus, a forest tribe of Karnůl, also South Kanara - bave a long ceremonial, the believe in clandestine unions. Either the couple essential part of which is called dhare. The run away at night and return the next day - man bride's right hand is placed over the groom's, a and wife or they go round a bow and arrow silver vessel with water is brought, over its month planted in the ground, and their relatives throw is placed a cocoanut, and over the latter an areca rice on them and bless them. palm flower. The hands are then placed over all. Among the Kurumbas -- a shepherd class found The parent and relatives all touch the vessel,
in many eastern districts of Madras- & golden which is thrice moved up and down. The couple
image, representing the hero of the clan, is taken are then congratulated by all present, who desire
out of a small box filled with saffron powder, in that they may become the parents of twelve
which it is usually secured, and placed before the sons and twelve daughters.
bride and bridegroom, who call aloud the hero's Among the Heggades - a shepherd class in the name. The performing pri:st breakcocoanuts game district-on the second day of the ceremony, on the heads of those of the tribe who hereditarily the bridegroom makes away with a jewel from enjoy this distinction, and then ties a piece of the bride's person, which he pretends to have saffron on the bride's right arm. Rice is then
(See Yule, 1. v., in Yobeon-Jobson. -Ed.]
