224 



JOUKNAL, K.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. X. 



he has probably ever owned before. On an auspicious 

 day, after partaking of the usual pdtchbru panikdram, 

 or " milk-rice " and cakes, a party of the bride's immediate 

 friends, to the number of about twenty, attended by 

 the family priest or Lebbe and a brother or cousin of the 

 bride carrying the chitanappanam of the sum agreed on, 

 with some betel leaves, a few pieces of saffron, and a couple 

 of limes put into a silk handkerchief held by the four 

 cousins in the right hand, proceed to the young man's house. 

 There the party is greeted with a copious sprinkling of rose- 

 water and invited to take seats, which they do on the white 

 carpeted floor, each according to his seniority or social 

 position ; whilst the bearer of the money places the bundle on 

 a brass betel stand before the priest of the bridegroom's party, 

 who is a most important personage on all such occasions. 

 After the usual chew of betel, &c, they proceed to business 

 by the priest undoing the bundle and offering up a 

 fdtihah. This done, he solemnly hands the handker- 

 chief and its contents to the young man, who in turn 

 transfers it to his father or elder brother, who again 

 passes it to the mother, by whom it is carefully locked up. 

 They next proceed to the selection of a day for the wedding, 

 in doing which particular care is taken. The favourite 

 months are Zul K'ada, Zul Hijja, Rajab; and the favourite 

 days of the week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The 

 ominous days of the Muhammadan calendar are studiously 

 avoided, such, for instance, as the day on which Jonah was 

 swallowed by the whale, or that on which Joseph was 

 thrown into the pit, or the anniversary of the day when 

 Muhammad lost his front tooth at the battle of Al-Badr. 

 The day fixed for a date within three months from the 

 chitanam night, a fdtihah is again offered up by the 

 priest, whilst the company hold up both hands in a 

 supplicating manner, pronouncing the " amen " at the stops 

 and kissing the tips of their fingers at the conclusion. A 

 sumptuous repast is now served to the assembled guests, 

 and a final fdtihah pronounced, when betel is again served 



