283 



History of the Ramoossies, 



[Oct. 



the Ramoossies, ^vhkh differs scarcely in any respect from that , 

 followed by the members of the Shoodur, or fourth great division 

 of Hindoos. 



When it has been agreed on between the parents of two children, 

 to unite them in marria^ie, the father of the boy goes to the house 

 of the father of the girl, and he presents his intended daughter-in- 

 law, with five pieces of the kernel of a cocoanut, and puts the 

 Koonkoo* on her forehead, and then returns to his home. This 

 proceeding is termed the " Mangnaie," " the Koonkoo," that is, 

 " the asking." 



About four months afterwards, or any time within the year, the 

 sukkur poorah or betroth ment takes place; the boy's father having 

 provided himself with a few jewels, a choulie, a sary, a phurky, 

 some koonkoo, some cocoanut, about a pound of sugar-candy, and 

 a rupee to place on the girl's forehead, and accompanied by five or 

 six friends, proceeds to the house of the girl's father. Having 

 administered some refreshment to them, the girl's father invites the 

 relations of the family men and women, and a portion of the inha- 

 bitants of the village. When they have assembled, the boy's father 

 takes the girl and places her on his knee, he puts a bit of the sugar 

 into her mouth, and then places the clothes he brought with him 

 into her hands, upon which she retires into the interior of the house 

 with her female relatives. Having adorned herself in her new 

 dress, and put on the koonkoo, she returns and places herself near 

 her intended father-in-law who puts the sugar and five pieces of 

 cocoanut into her lap, which she ties in the end of her sary. The 

 father-in-law now places the rupeef on her forehead, which her 

 father takes. The boy's father then presents the Patell and the 

 rest of the people who have witnessed the ceremony with paun 

 soopary (beetlenut) and should the parties be in good circumstances, 

 music is used in celebratmg this ceremony which is termed the 

 " shukar poorah," or the betrothment. The same day or the 

 following, the father of the boy and those who accompanied him 

 return to their own homes. 



The father of the boy is henceforth obliged to provide the girl 



* Koonkoo, this is a rich reddish coloured powder prepared, by steeping 

 the roots of the Turmeric, for three days in plain water, and for three days in 

 lime juice : it is then cut up into small pieces, and kept one day in a solution 

 of sal ammoniac, alum, and lime juice, and when dried it is ground in the 

 hand mill. This married women rub on their foreheads or make a round 

 mark with it, which they always replace after bathing. Widows are obliged 

 to discontinue using the koonkoo. 



t This seals the contract, 



