1834.] History of the Ramoossies. 294 



may have to go. The relation that accompanied her, if a male, gets 

 a turban as a present, and if a female, she is presented with a'sary. 



The more wealthy Naiks about Poona sometimes expend from 

 three hundred to five and six hundred rupees in marrying one of 

 their children, but in general the marriage ceremony is not so expen- 

 sive, seldom above forty or fiity rupees, and in many instances, as 

 low as fifteen and twenty-five rupees. 



The clothes and few ornaments required for the bridegroom and 

 bride cost from twenty to thirty rupees, and entertaining their friends 

 and persons of their caste, about twenty more, the expense being 

 defrayed equally by both parties. The musicians get about five 

 rupees. 



The expenses attending a second marriage (the paat or mhottur) 

 with a widow, including the fee to the Brahmun, and feasting the 

 relations, average from twenty to thirty rupees. 



The paat or mhottur ceremony, may be celebrated in any month 

 or day in the year, except when offerings are presented to the manes 

 during the peetur paat, (the krishun puksh or 15 dark nights of the 

 month Bhadrapuddah), provided any of the lucky stars should prove 

 to be luggun nukshutturs, and corresponding with the rules of the 

 paat chukkur. 



CHAPTER VIL* 



The months in which the marriage ceremonies are celebrated, with other ob- 

 servations respectin<r lucky periods.— The caste of the boy and girl inves= 

 tigated, whether lucky or unlucky.— Examination into thirty-six properties. 

 — Various calculations on the Nukshuttur and the Zodiacal signs. — The 

 Nukshutturs that are considered auspicious for consummating the nuptial 

 ceremonies.— The Nukshutturs excluded in consequ nee of the proximity 

 of any evil planet, eclipse of the sun or moon. - The meuii ty yeog explain- 

 ed. — Ooapat yeog explained. — The unpropitious conjunctions, or Dugdhu 

 Yeog. — The Amroot Seedh Yeog.— The bJukshutturcha bedh. —The year 

 divided into six seasons, ceremonies postponed on account of an ■ clipse of 

 the sun or moon. —Earthquakes, meteors, &c.— The tiundants. - Chunda 

 Yeogs Elkargulldosh.— The Waardosh.— Tke Koolick.— The iiuntik Kail 



* That portion of the Hindoo system of judicial astrology applicable to 

 their nuptial ceremonies, and which i have endeavoured to explain here, has 

 been taken, with a few exceptions, from a Sanscrit work called the Uoortli 

 Martind.— In the copy of the work from w' ieh it was extracted tliere may 

 be a few inaccuracies, and I may hav failed occasionally in conveying the 

 sense of the original; but as seve al intelligent Brahmuns and astroU)gers 

 were consulted in preparing it, I am disposed to think it is tolerably correct. 

 — A few of the rules considere i most unimportant have been omitled, and 

 others a little curtailed, under the impiession that to the general reader, the 

 subject might seem much too tedious.—Most of the village Jossies can repeat 

 all these proceedings by heart. 



