158 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTEAL IXDIA. 



The marriage ceremony is very elaborate and 

 childish, and is generally borrowed in great part from 

 the Hindus. The bride is in some tribes selected from 

 among first cousins by preference. More usually, 

 however, connection is souo'ht amoufr another tribe. 

 Usually an understanding is come to privately before 

 the formal "asking" takes place, so that a "refusal" 

 is scarcely known. The Pardhan is the ambassador, 

 and arranojes the articles of the "marriao-e settlement." 

 In contradistinction to the Hindii practice, it is at the 

 bridegroom's house that the ceremony takes place, so 

 that the whole of the expense may full upon him. 

 Hindiiised tribes, however, practise the reverse. The 

 actual ceremonies consist, first, of an omen to discover 

 the propitious day, on which commences a series of 

 repeated carryings to and fro, anointings and sprinklings 

 with various substances, eating together, tying the 

 garments together, dancing together round a pole, 

 being half drowned together by a douche of water, 

 and the interchange of rings — all of which may be 

 supposed to symbolise the union of the parties. The 

 bridegroom sometimes places his foot on the bride's 

 back to indicate her subjection; and a feigned forcible 

 abduction of the bride is often a part of the ceremony 

 — the usual relic of olden times of the strong' hand. 

 Sacrifice to the gods, and unlimited gorging and sj)irit- 

 drinking, are usually the wind - up of the affair. 

 Widows are not precluded from re-marriage ; and 

 among the Gonds it is even the duty of a younger 

 brother to take to wife the widow of an elder. The 

 converse is not, however, permitted. A widow's re- 

 marriage is accompanied by little ceremony. 



There is little in any of these customs, it will be 



