THE SAOftlAS OF THE RAJMAHAL HILLS. 53 



watchman, if any, receives two annas for the same purpose. The bride's sister, or other 

 female relative, then takes a paild of rice (measure) for the groom and bride and four 

 annas. The rice and other victuals brought by the youth's parents, amounting to five 

 or ten seers, are presented to the girl's parents. The girl is brought before the groom 

 and is clad by the young man's married or unmarried sister (not a widow) in 

 her marriage garments (two garments presented by the groom's parents). After this 

 a rupee and a cloth are given to the bride's mother. This is called kochrenkitteh 

 and is compensation for the clothes spoiled by the girl during her infancy. The girl's 

 father also gets a siropah (turban) and a rupee. All these sums are paid from the 

 hidden store. The groom and bride then sit together, opposite each other, on the 

 ground, in the centre of the hut. The groom faces the west and the bride the east. 

 The Bedsitu places sindur on the little finger of the right hand of the groom, and, taking 

 the groom's hand, he forms a cross between the eyes and nose of the bride, tracing 

 the figure over five times according to custom. Then the bride's brother, or father, 

 or cousin, places one spot of sindur on the groom's forehead. After this ceremony 

 the brother, or father, as the case may be, washes the bride's hand, and, placing it in 

 the Bedsihi' s hand, says, " Behold, this girl I give to you being free from disease and 

 blame, and without tarnish; take her and see that she is properly maintained." The 

 Bedsihi hands the girl, in a similar manner, to the groom's father, and, in his absence, 

 to the groom's brother, or to the groom himself. One rupee is taken by the girl's 

 brother for the sindur and one rupee for making over the girl's hand ; this money is 

 paid by the groom and is called tettapeheh sundrd tudeh panrond taka. The Bedsitu 

 says : " Take the girl; if she leaves her husband without cause, he will be entitled to 

 get the expenses of the marriage, and, if he turns the girl out without cause, he will 

 lose his marriage expenses." 



After the sindur ceremony, the girl's brother and her maternal uncles take two 

 arrows and, going outside, shoot the bull, mat hi bichl. The first arrow is shot by the 

 girl's brother, and the second by the maternal uncle. The animal is finished off by 

 the bride's paternal uncle with an axe, and the axe becomes his property. The animal 

 is cut up by the girl's brother or uncles, and a piece of the liver is taken into the house 

 and broiled ; it is then cut into small pieces, and a piece, with pochai, is given to the 

 groom by the Bedsitu. The Bedsitu performs a similar office for the bride and all her 

 relatives. The Lapsitu does the same for the groom's relatives. The pochai for the 

 groom is brought from his own house : two ghaylas (pots) must be brought, one for 

 the mother and one for the father of the girl, called bandi taddi. Now every one sits 

 down to the feast. The guests have their hands washed by the Bedsitu and Lapsitus. 

 The rice brought, as noted above, is cooked, and given in the same dish to the bride 

 and the groom with a little curry. After the feast the bride and bridegroom and the 

 guests all drink, and then the Bedsitu takes the girl's hand and gives her to the groom, 

 who, taking hold of the little finger of her right hand with his right hand, makes his 

 way oustide the house followed by the guests and relatives. The groom and bride are 

 stopped at the doorway by some one on behalf of the girl's relatives, and are not 

 allowed to go until the groom has cast two annas in pice on the ground. They then 



