NO. 36.— 1888.] MARRIAGE CUSTOM3 OF THE MOORS. 231 



the bridal chamber, and similarly addresses the bride, 

 substituting the word " husband " for " wife." To this she is 

 expected to answer audibly; but in her shyness she refuses 

 to do anything of the kind, some elderly relative saying 

 " yes " for her ; and the party returns to kalari. The 

 priest then utters a final fdtihah by way of benediction, 

 and this terminates the kdvin. 



After the conclusion of this ceremony, the bridegroom is 

 conducted to the bridal chamber by her father or brother, and 

 the ceremony of tying the tali takes place. Gorgeously 

 dressed in king-half silk and satin, and loaded with gold from 

 head to foot, surrounded by a crowd of old dames chewing 

 and spitting, exhausted by heat and fatigue, the poor bride is 

 seated in her arakaddil, or " tinsel throne," more like an 

 inanimate statue than a living bride in her hymeneal glory. 

 There is a sudden stir, every woman hitherto bareheaded 

 emulously displaying her ornaments for the admiration of her 

 companions, now promptly covers her head and (partially) 

 her face with the corner of her canibdya ; while the 

 sisters or nearest female relatives of the bridegroom hand 

 him the tali. The bridegroom is expected to clasp 

 the tali round his bride's throat, but probably finding 

 it difficult to get near enough to her, his awkward attempt 

 would fail but for the help at the critical moment of the 

 relative referred to above, who adjusts the sacred tali : 

 never to be removed during the lifetime of the spouses. 

 This is the kaddu, " knot," or " tying." The uduppdddu yet 

 remains. 



The tali being tied, the bridegroom is expected to 

 clothe {uduppdddu) the bride. For this purpose the relative 

 hands the bridegroom a silk cambdya to put round the 

 waist of the bride. She is made to stand up nolens volens 

 (usually nolens), and the bridegroom attempts to encompass 

 her waist with the garment, but in most cases has to resort to 

 the help of his relatives. All this time the bride neither sees 

 nor hears, and after the ceremony the bridegroom, sitting on 

 the bed near by, has his first look at his future life-partner. 



