The Hindu Element in Malay Marriage 

 Ceremony. 



By R. 0. Wixstedt. 



It is well-known that a Malay raja when marrying a secondary 

 wife of inferior rank often does not appear in person but is repre- 

 sented by his heris. As one might expect, this would appear to be 

 a custom of Indian origin. Among the Tottdyans a caste of Telugu 

 cultivators, who are probably descendants of the soldiers of the 

 Xayakkan kings of Vijayanagar — " if a man belongs to a Zamin- 



dar's family, he is said to be of the Raja Kambala caste If 



a marriage is contracted with a woman of an inferior class, the 

 bridegroom does not personally take part in the ceremony : a dagger 

 (kattar) or rude sword is sent to represent him and the tali is tied 

 in the presence thereof. In a Zamindar's suit, details of which are 

 published in the Madras Law Reports, Vol. XVII, 189-1 the judge 

 found that the plaintiff's mother was married to the plaintiff's 

 father in the d>agger form; that a dagger is used by the Saptur 

 Zamindars who are called Kattari Kamaya, in the case of inequality 

 in the caste or social position of the bride ; that though the custom- 

 ary rites of the Kambala caste were also performed, yet the use of 

 the dagger was an essential addition; and that though she was of 

 a different and inferior caste to that of the plaintiff's father, yet 

 that did not invalidate the marriage. " (E. Thurston's Castes and 

 Tribes of Southern India, Vol. VII, p. 190). 



Jour. Straits Branch l{. A. Soc, No. 



