26 S. C. Das — Marriage Customs in SiJcfcim. [No. 1, 



bridegroom's friends acknowledges the presents, &c, by saying thug-je 

 che (great mercy). At this time the Jcun-chan remains in his solitary 

 seat, bnt nnmolested by anybody. Till midday he finds himself 

 very solitary as no one talks to him or makes any fnn with him. 

 When the presentation of scarves and tang-dar is finished, the guests 

 sit at dinner, and drink cJiang to their heart's content. After dinner the 

 gnests touch the Jcun-clian s head with their sticks. Some beat him 

 lightly with the switch. This is called solgyab (after-dinner beating). 



The guests are served with chang and tea in the aftenoon when they 

 again play the same kind of practical jokes with the Jcun-chan. This 

 is called the cJiang-gyab (beating after drinking*). In the evening butter- 

 ed tea is served to them with barley flour or parched Indian-corn. Again 

 they beat the unfortunate Jcun-chan lightly with their sticks. This 

 is called after evening-tea beating. When he has quietly undergone 

 these indignities, the women taking pity on him cease to beat him 

 any more. They ask him to drink chang. Sometimes a wooden bucket 

 filled with chang is given to him. A servant then hands over to him a 

 china-cup called yangtse with which he draws wine from the bucket. Then 

 a trayful of half-baked beef or fowl, mixed with red pepper and kitchen 

 soot, is placed before him. The female friends of the bride again come 

 to annoy him. This time, catching him by his ears they force a quantity 

 of under-done beef into his mouth. Some make him drink chang. Then 

 the principal guests sing some benedictory songs, and offering their 

 prayers to the Buddhas and the Boddhisattvas, to bless the married 

 couple, they return to their respective homes. 



Ghang-ser : — On the third day of the festival, called the golden 

 drinking, the neighbours and relations of the bride's parents again 

 assemble to a grand dinner and drinking, when large quantities of beef 

 and pork are given to them to eat. Two or more oxen or pigs, that have 

 been slaughtered on the previous day, are cooked in large cauldrons with 

 red-pepper and salt. The beef and pork so prepared, are called sJiya- 

 gyu and sha-phag, respectively. At midnight of the third day the Jcun-chan 

 runs away quietly. If the women can catch him while running away 

 they give him a good beating, which is called dol-non (the beating 

 before he escapes). It is for this reason that the mother of the bride 

 takes especial care of him and secretly arranges for his flight. The 

 Jcun-chan having effected his escape, proceeds to the rest-house that has 

 been especially erected for the bridal party midway and waits there. 

 Here he changes his clothes and becomes transformed into a great 

 man called the tJia-pon. The bride's mother sends some wine, beef 

 and rice for his refreshment. 



When the festivities at the house of the bride's parents terminate, 



