98 GHULAM MUHAMMAD 



(4) Katawal, Batawal ai Barakat deh. 



(5) Gilit Malik ai Barakat deh. 



(6) Sharo ai Rat ai lo bu sing Barakat deh. 



(7) Owal ai sur ai Barakat deh. 



(8) Jakun ai shing nikheh sang Barakat deh. 



(9) Gogo ai dayin o sang Barakat deh. 



Translation : — 



(1) In thy name, O merciful Lord, give us abundance ! 



(2) Give us abundance like Oosum and Doosum (remarkable men of ancient 



times) ! 



(3) Give us abundance like the brave Kharki (Kharki, the people say, was 4^ yards 



tall) ! 



(4) Give us abundance like Katawall and Batawall (also ancient heroes) ! 



(5) Give us prosperity like Malik, the Raja of Gilgit ! 



(6) Give us abundance, so that we may carry our grain home throughout the long 



night of autumn till it is dawn ! 



(7) Give us abundance like the long day of summer ! 



(8) Give us abundance till horns grow out of the ass ! 



(9) Give us abundance till a beard grows from the rocks ! 



After gathering their crops the inhabitants celebrate a festival called " Duma 

 Nikha," an expression of their feeling of freedom from all agricultural labour, and 

 indulge in recreations and games, the chief of which is polo. A goat is killed and roasted 

 and the meat eaten at the place where they perform their dances, which continue late 

 into the night. They also add to their enjoyment by shooting at a mark, after which 

 the assembly breaks up. 



III. 



Marriage. 



When a boy reaches 16 or 17 years of age, his parents begin to search for a wife for 

 him, and as soon as they hear of a likely girl, they summon the headmen of their own 

 village, to whom they give food, and request them to ask such and such a person to give 

 his daughter in marriage. The headmen carry this message to the father of the girl, 

 who entertains them for one or two days. During this time he summons his relatives and 

 the headmen of his own village, in order to consult them in the matter. In the case of 

 consent being given, a prayer is read by both the parties as sealing the promise. The 

 boy's father now presents the following things to the girl's father in token of their new 

 relationship : — 



Cloth ... 5 yards. 



Needle ... 1 



Knife ... 1 



Rope ... 1 



