1834.] 



History of the Ramoossies, 



312 



When celebrating the Paat, mhottur, or second marriage, they 

 consult the Paat Chukkur : no months or particular days are attend- 

 ed to, except the Peettur Paat. They calculate how far distant the 

 lunar Nukshuttur is from the solar one. Tht-n they say the four first 

 are unlucky, but that the two succeeding ones (the 5th and 6th) are 

 fortunate, provided they are luggun Nukshutturs, or propitious, and 

 therefore available for celebrating the nuptial ceremony. After these 

 six (7th, 8th, &c.) Nukshutturs are unlucky, but the three succeed- 

 ing ones lucky, if they prove luggun Nukshutturs : then follow three 

 unlucky and three of a medium property ; afterwards three fortunate, 

 and again we have three unfortunate. This is all that is attended in 

 the Paat ceremony. 



It is necessary that T should here remark, that m'.iny of these cal- 

 culations (termed by the m Ghutkas) are at times neglected in ar- 

 ranging the ceremonies of the lower classes, and that they are chief- 

 ly attended to only by the higher castes, and by persons of wealth, 

 and those who arc anxious to celelDrate the nuptial ceremony during 

 the day time ; for, latterly, it has become the general custom to per- 

 form the ceremony exactly at sunset among the Shoondurs, the 

 mixed classes, and poor Brahmuns, when pressed for time, and con- 

 sequently termed the Godool Luggun, fi'om the cattle returning to 

 their homes at that hour, and much dust arising from their approach- 

 ing the village gateway all about the same time. 



In conforming to the rites of the Godool Luggun, it is requisite to 

 avoid five doshes or evils, namely, the Koolik, the Kranty Samun ; 

 and when the Moon is either in the first, the sixth, or eighth (daily 

 signs) lugguns at the time the Sun is setting, the marriage ceremo- 

 ny is not to be solemnized: nor if Mars is in the eighth luggun. 



The Jossies say, that if the Shasters (meaning the entire regula- 

 ted ceremonies) were attended to, as they should be on all occasions, 

 poverty and distress would not be so prevalent among the poor Brah- 

 muns. The truth of the observation cannot be denied. 



There is nothing singular or scarcely worthy of being recorded 

 respecting the funeral rites^ or the ceremonies at the birth or naming 

 the children of the Ramoossies, which differs from the other lower 

 tribes of the Hindoos. They bury their dead, placing the body in 

 the grave at full length, and sometimes in a sitting posture, the head 

 to the south, and feet to the north, the face rather inclined to the 

 east. 



When a woman is confined to her bed from the pains of travail, 

 her husband places an arrow at each corner of the bed,, and one near 



