Col. Macxrnztr on Hindu and Mahommedan Marriage Ceremonies. 179 
vices, to the father of the girl, proposing a marriage between their children. 
This letter is inclosed in a gold or silver box, or in a bag of brocade, and is 
sent by the barber of the family. The girl’s father, on receipt of this letter, 
gives the messenger a cup of sherbet and some sweetmeats, and in a day or 
two returns a favourable answer by the same messenger. The answer must 
be written on the same kind of paper, and enclosed in a similar manner as 
the letter; the messenger, on receiving the answer, obtains a present, con- 
sisting of money and a suit of clothes. In a few days the girl’s father sends 
a confidential female servant to fix on a lucky day for giving sugar to the 
boy ; and when the boy’s father shall have fixed what day this ceremony 
shall take place, he gives the messenger sherbet, sweetmeats, money, and a 
dress. On the day appointed, the boy, dressed in superb garments, is 
attended by his relations, friends, and others to the house of the girl’s father, 
at a short distance from which they stop in a place previously prepared 
for their reception. The girl’s father, on receiving intimation of his arrival, 
sends some of his nearest relations to the boy with balls of sugar, sugar- 
candy, cups of sherbet, ottar, rose-water, wreaths of flowers, shawls, pieces of 
cloths of various kinds, paun, and money according to his means, placed 
and arranged on separate trays. These persons first give a cup of sherbet ; 
they then cause him to eat a little sugar, and seven of the pauns, and put 
on his finger a pearl or gold ring; they next place on his shoulders wreaths 
of flowers and a pair of shawls, and distribute the fruits and sherbet among 
his friends. They deliver the trays with all the things on them to his at- 
tendants, and he returns to his own house. A few days after this ceremony 
some females of the boy’s family proceed with sugar and similar articles to 
the girl’s house, who is concealed in a private apartment, as she is not per- 
mitted to see any woman who is a stranger to her, more especially those 
connected with her intended husband ; but her women receive the presents, 
and perform the same ceremonies in her apartment, after which the mes- 
sengers are dismissed with presents ; from that day presents are sent to each 
other by the respective parties. 
When the day for the marriage shall be settled, or one month before it 
takes place, the ceremonies of washing with water, in which meal is mixed, 
and the Manjah Khannah are performed. The boy’s father fixes on a lucky 
day, generally a Friday, when he assembles his relations and friends in a 
place prepared for the purpose, which is highly ornamented, and persons 
with kettle-drums and other musical instruments are placed near it. He 
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