276 On the Marriage Rites and Usages (June, 
To this statement, a flat denial was given by the Ranz and her 
favourite priest, and amidst the bickerings and intrigues that ensued, 
the Raja’s marriage was for some years considered inexpedient ; it being 
contrary to usage that a person should be married prior to the cere- 
mony of investiture being completed by his Guré’s pronouncing the 
Gur Mantra, or mystical words of initiation. 
Such was the state of this question up to the beginning of 1832, 
when the advancing years of the young Prince convinced the regent 
ministers that a further delay would only tend to ‘‘ defer* the remedy 
of the evil, not the evil itself,” and that some decision must be forth- 
with resolved on ;—after much doubt and hesitation they determined 
to solemnize the marriage, leaving the choice of a Gari to be decid- 
ed on by the Prince himself on his attaining his majority. Before 
venturing on so unusual a proceeding, an opinion was obtained from 
the Brahmans, that though it would doubtless have been proper for 
the Prince to have become the disciple of some Guard previously to 
entering upon the holy state of matrimony, still it would be better 
for him to marry at once, and afterwards select a Gari, than con- 
tinue in his unhallowed state of celibacy. 
At the same time it was decided that the marriage ceremonies should 
be solemnized at the town of Digt (24 miles to the north of Bharatpur), 
that the bridegroom should go out thus far to meet the bride, and 
after the performance of the ceremonies, conduct her to his palace at 
Bharatpur. 
It has been stated above that the Raja was betrothed in the year 
1824, and I now proceed to describe the manner in which the betroth- 
al (Suga?) takes place. Iam well aware that in doing so I run the 
risk of wearying the patience of the reader. But it is necessary in 
this as in other things to begin with the beginning ; neither am I igno- 
rant that the ceremonies which form the subject of this paper have been 
pronounced by the historian of British India (see vol. 1. note c.), 
to be “‘ trivial, multiplied, and tiresome.” Such they would doubtless 
appear to be to the philosopher and historian of Europe, who, calm- 
ly seated in his study some thousands of miles from the country in 
which these customs obtain, looks with wonder or contempt at the 
* Remedia potius malorum quam mala ipsa differentes.— Tacitus. 
+ The ‘‘ Bhowans’’ or garden-palaces of Dig, built by the celebrated Jat, 
Su’ras Mot, may safely be compared with any of the buildings erected by the 
Muhammedans at Delhi or Agra. They were constructed of the stone found in the 
Ripbas hills about 80 years ago. For a short account of the antiquities of Dég, 
see Appendix, A. 
