Col. Macxenzre on Hindu and Mahommedan Marriage Ceremonies. 177 
and the presents, money, and other articles, forming the bride’s portion, 
are carefully deposited in a secure place. The relations and friends of the 
bridegroom have an entertainment served to them and then retire to their 
own houses. During three, or even five years, after the marriage, the bride 
remains with her own family; and in this interval the respective parties 
frequently send each other presents of sweetmeats, dresses, quilts, and other 
warm clothing for the winter season. 
When the time arrives that the bride should be conducted to her hus- 
band’s house, the bridegroom’s father sends his barber to the bride’s father 
with a letter, stating that such a day of such a month is an auspicious day, 
and requesting that he will permit his daughter to leave his house. He at 
first refuses to comply with this request; but on receipt of a second letter, 
containing the most earnest entreaties, he consents. When they have 
determined on what day the bride shall be conveyed to her husband, the 
bridegroom’s father sends a suit of clothes and sweetmeats for the bride ; 
the bride’s father also prepares sweetmeats, which are enclosed in earthen 
jars, from one to a hundred and one, according to his means, with a suit of 
clothes for the bridegroom. On the day appointed the bridegroom proceeds 
with a procession similar to that on his marriage, or with a less number, as 
may be most convenient, to the bride’s house. On his arrival he is seated 
on a mound, raised for this occasion; the Brahmins read the Vedas, and 
perform ceremonies of worship to Gauri and Ganfsa. A female of the 
Barber tribe cuts the nails of the bride and bridegroom, which had never 
been cut from the day of marriage until this occasion, and colours their 
hands and feet with a red dye. The bride’s father delivers rings, to be 
worn on the fingers and toes, to his Brahmin, who first places them on the 
images of Gauri and Ganésa ; after which he gives one to the bridegroom, 
and directs him to put it on the bride’s finger; the females put the other 
rings on the bride; the Brahmin again reads the Vedas, and performs 
other religious ceremonies. Two suits of clothes are selected from those 
brought by the bridegroom, one of which is given to the Brahmin, and 
the other to the female barber. The bride and bridegroom are next con- 
veyed to the female apartments, in which they remain the whole night, 
listening to songs sung by the women; while the bride’s father gives an 
entertainment to those relations of the bridegroom who had accompanied 
him, and to his own friends whom he had invited 
The next morning the bride is allowed to depart with her husband ; the 
Vor. III. 2A 
