125 



holy rivers and of the four seas, seven kinds of holy 

 earth, the sacred conch shell, a white umbrella, and 

 white C/iamars. The horses and elephants used in 

 connection with the coronation ceremony were also 

 white. Yudhistir was then made to sit on a throne of 

 gold, and other members of the royal family sat on seats 

 made of ivory, and close by sat the king's spiritual 

 guide and other sages. The king was now requested to 

 touch such auspicious articles as corn, white flowers, 

 swastika, gold, silver and jewels. The king's ministers 

 and other high functionaries were now brought before 

 him by the royal priest and they all paid their homage 

 to their sovereign. The sacred fire was then kindled, 

 the king and queen sat in front of the holy fire on seats 

 covered over with tiger's skin, and made oflerings to the 

 fire. Shri Krishna then got up, took in his hand the 

 sacred conch-shell, which was filled with holy water, 

 sprinkled the water over the heads of the king and 

 queen and said : " I sprinkle this holy water over you 

 to indicate that from this day you have become the 

 paramount sovereign of Bharat Varsha." At this time 

 dJnindnbi and other musical instruments were sounded, 

 drums were beaten, the king's bards sang the praise of 

 the king and wished him victory and long life," 



In Bengal every marriage conducted according to 

 Hindu ceremonial, includes the placing of chank- 

 bangles, lacquered red, upon the bride's wrists. An 

 iron bangle placed on the left wrist is also essential to 

 the ceremony. Elsewhere this particular marriage cus- 

 tom is scarcely ever practised, but sufficient instances 

 are recorded among a few widely scattered castes and 

 caste-sections of the existence of a similar marriage 

 custom elsewhere to tempt us to believe that 

 at one time it was the general custom of all fully 

 Hinduised castes throughout India. Finds of frag- 

 ments ot chank-bangles in places where the use 

 of these ornaments is non-existent at the present day 

 strengthen the theory. Legendary lore can also be 

 quoted in support. For instance, among the Balijas of 

 Telueu districts, who there constitute the chief tradinQ- 

 caste, a legend is current (Thurston, I, p. 137) that " on 

 one occasion Siva wanted his consort Parvati to appear 

 before him in all her glory. But, when she stood before 



