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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1898.
In the morning they bathe, change their sárís, her liking are also supplied her. Her desires and and, before eating anything, attend to the wor- likings are supposed to have effect on that of her ship. They pray and implore for the longevity child. If any of her desires be thwarted, the child and welfare of their husbands. A virgin prays will subsequently banker after the desired object. for a virtuous and good husband. In the even- A woman is called the “Lakshmi of the ing, males as well as females go to temples. house." If a husband unnecessarily abuses his
In chatur masya (i. e., four months in a year) wife the Goddess of Wealth (Lakshmi) will not Purunas are everywhere read, and Kirtanas smile on him. On the contrary he will be cursed (religious lectures accompanied by Binging) and destined to drag a miserable existence. celebrated. A woman generally takes up some Before going to stay in a newly-built house, vrata, i. e., she vows to give daily some article a religicus ceremony is performed. The object of of food in charity; to supply some articles of this ceremony is two-fold: to pacify the evil spirit worship to a temple ; to abstain from eating if the house is haunted by one, and to pray that some articles of food during the said period. the new house should be propitious to the family, She chooses such vrata as the means of her hne- If a crow enters a house, it is considered to be band will permit or as will be compatible with her polluted, and a religious ceremony is prescribed health. Some women make it a rule throughout
fur its purification. It is a great sin, in tbe eyes life to utter the name of Râm before eating
of a Marâtha, to see a couple of crows sitting anything. When anybody commits sin inadver- together. If anybody kills a cat, the penance tently, or hears any horrible news, he says:- for his sin is to go on a pilgrimage to Banâras. "fasojaa." (we bow to the God Vishnu). To hear the hooting of an owl is considered to
The bride and bridegroom tie to the hand of portend evil. each other a kankan, which is a sign of the life. At the time of bathing, a Maritha invokes long bonds of union. They have also to walk the rivers Gangå, Yamuna, Godavari, Narbuda and seven steps together and uttur some mantras to other Tirthas to come to his bathing water and to the effect that mutual love should be genuine and expiate his sins. that they should contribute to the welfare of The morning and the evening times are each other.
considered to be sacred, and every body tries A pregnant woman is very sumptuously fed, then to speak truth and to avoid bad language. and all her desires are attended to. Clothes of
Y. S. VAVIKAR.
NOTES AND QUERIES. CYPAYE AND BAILLARDERE.
MARATHA MARRIAGES IN HIGH LIFE - HERE are two extracts from the Journal of
SUDRA CASTE- BEIDEGROOM'S M. Flouest, 1782-6, in Burma, wbich by tbe way is full of valuable Indo-European expressions, giving
PROCESSION. new forms, not to be found in Yule's Hobson- On his way to the bride's house, the bridegroom Jobson, for two well-known words:
stops at the MAruti (temple of Hanuman) to rest Sepoy.
and make his devotion. Every village in Western "Je reçus (le 7 Janvier, 1785) les ordres de ce India possesses one. The Gayakwârs of Baroda général de partir le 12 pour l'établissement de halt at R&jrajeswar, a well known temple to Karikal, d'embarquer le mât de pavilion, l'artil. Mahadeva in Baroda, containing also a shrine to lerie, les vivres et 400 cypayes commandés par Maruti (Hanuman, the monkey-god). A brother M. Hobillard avec dix officiers passagers." - or some very near relative of the bridegroom Toung Pao, Vol. I. p. 204.
precedes him, carrying in procession to the bride Bayadère.
jewellery, a sárt (robe), and a choll (bodice). On (Bayadere is not a real Indo-Europeanism, but
arrival he is feasted, but returns in time to meet a Franco-Portuguese term.)
the bridegroom with people from the Mâruti to "Lorsque tout est préparé, orné et décoré avec invest him with the pôshak (dress of honor). The art, ils donnent un festin, font jouer la come- whole cavalcade then proceeds to the bride's die, ensuite ils donnent un bal ou figurent les house, so as to reach it at the appointed hour, the Baillardères.... Femmes qui sont appe- bridegroom being mounted on a charger or an lées a toutes les ceremonies pour danser."- elephant. Toung Pao, Vol. II. p. 15.
R. C. TEMPLE. THE LATE B. V. SHASTRI in P. N. and Q. 1883.
