716 Account of the Origin, etc. of the [July, 



Bodo incapacitates him for giving so costly an entertainment. The 

 marriage feast of the Dhimals is alleged to cost 30 to 40 rupees some- 

 times, the festivities being prolonged through two and even three days ; 

 whereas 4 to 6 — rarely 10 rupees, suffice for the nuptial banquet of a 

 Bodo. 



The Bodo and Dhimals both alike bury the dead immediately after 

 decease, with simple but decent reverence, though no fixed burial 

 ground nor artificial tomb is in use to mark the last resting place of 

 those must dear in life, because the migratory habits of the people 

 would render such usages nugatory. The family and friends form a 

 funeral procession, which bears the dead in silence to the grave. The 

 body being interred, a few stones are piled loosely upon the grave to 

 prevent disturbance by jackals and ratels, rather than to mark the 

 spot, and some food and drink are laid upon the grave ; when the 

 ceremony is suspended and the party disperses. Friends are purified 

 by mere ablution in the next stream, and at once resume their usual 

 cares. The family are unclean for three days, after which, besides 

 bathing and shaving, they need to be sprinkled with holy water by 

 their elders or priest. They are then restored to purity and forthwith 

 proceed to make preparations for a funeral banquet, by the sacrifice of 

 a hog to Mainou or Timang, of a cock to Batho or Pochima, accord- 

 ing to the nation. When the feast has been got ready and the friends 

 are assembled, before sitting down, they all repair once again to the 

 grave, when the nearest of kin to the deceased, taking an individnal's 

 usual portion of food and drink, solemnly presents them to the dead, 

 with these words, ' take and eat : heretofore you have eaten and drank 

 with us : you can do so no more : you were one of us : you can be 

 so no longer : we come no more to you : come you not to us.' And 

 thereupon the whole party break and cast on the grave a bracelet of 

 thread priorly attached, to this end, to the wrist of each of them. 

 Next the party proceed to the river and bathe, and having thus lus- 

 trated themselves, they repair to the banquet, and eat, drink and make 

 merry as though they were never to die ! A funeral costs the Dhimals 

 from four to eight rupees — something more to the Bodo, who practise 

 more formality on the occasion, and to whom is peculiar the singular 

 leave-taking of the dead just described. 



Useful Arts. — As already observed, the arts practised by the 



