10 S. C. Das— Marriage Customs of Tibet. [No. 1, 



by the friends of her parents. In the meantime his friends, or father, or 

 relations go as long-mi (begging men) to the honse of the girl's father. 

 They take with them some presents for him, and also provisions for their 

 own use during the time they remain there. They do not venture to go 

 near the house of the bride's parents, but remaining at a distance of about 

 a hundred yards or more from it, swing a Jchatag (salutation scarf) to say 

 that they have come to humbly propose the auspicious marriage of their 

 daughter. At first the parents and their friends take no notice of this 

 and decline to look at them. The long-mi continue their silent entreaties 

 for three or four days, and do not leave the place until by their impor- 

 tunity they have moved the hearts of the bride's parents. The father 

 of the girl then brings them before the elders of the village, and asks 

 the latter to inflict on them the punishment they deserve for having 

 stolen his daughter. 



If the long-mi abide by their decision and pay the fine immediately, 

 the marriage proposal is formally received by the bride's parents. In 

 the meantime the bride returns to her father's house. Then an auspi- 

 cious day is fixed for the wedding entertainment which is called chang - 

 tliung, when the friends and relatives of the bridegroom come to fetch 

 the bride to the bridegroom's place. The bridegroom being conscious 

 of his guilt dare not visit the house of the bride's father, till a long time 

 after the completion of the marriage. If he indiscreetly happens to go 

 there he is given the appellation of hun-chan (thief), and dealt with 

 accordingly. 



Among the upper classes in Purang parents generally arrange for the 

 marriage of their sons and daughters. First of all comes the betrothal.* 

 When the parties betrothed reach the proper age, *'. e., about two or three 

 years after attaining to puberty, they are married. The bridal party, 



* Among Lad&kis, betrothals, which are the occasion for a little drinking of 

 tea and chang, are arranged by parents in consultation with relatives. Having 

 fixed upon a match, which, from a worldly point of view, seems desirable, they 

 then refer to the Ldmds, to see if the destinies of the proposed couple suit. If they 

 are found to be unsuited the betrothal is given up. A youth is betrothed when he 

 is about 20 years of age, and a girl perhaps two years earlier. After the betrothal 

 or " tea chang star ches," the wedding, or "Pagston" may take place within a 

 mouth, or it may be put off for a year or more. If a male child possessing pro- 

 perty, is left alone in the world, he is betrothed at once to some fully grown woman 

 who acts as his nurse during his childhood, and as his wife during his later years. 

 This is not found an inconvenient practice, as a Tibetan may have two " little 

 wives" in addition to his original " Pagston" wife. The dowry (kinto) is fixed 

 at the time of betrothal, bnt it is not given till the marriage takes place, and some 

 times even after that. This dowry is paid by the bridegroom to the father, or other 

 near relative of the bride. — " Captain Ramsay's Western Tibetan Dictionary," p. 10. 



