356 



Marava-Jathi'Vernanam : 



[Oct. 



not go himself) : the immediate relatives with whom this office rests, 

 are the sister of the bridegroom or else one of his aunts, accompa- 

 nied by other relatives. On the bride being brought to the bride- 

 groom's house, the relatives of both parties assemble there, and 

 are feasted by the bridegroom with flesh-meat and other matters, 

 to the extent of his ability, for one or two days ; when they are dis- 

 missed to their respective villages. Should it so happen either in 

 the case of wealthy rulers of districts, or of poorer common people, 

 that any impediment arises to prevent the complete celebration of 

 the marriage with all attendant ceremonies according to the sacred 

 books and customs of the tribe, then the tali only is sent and the female 

 is brought to the house of the husband. At a subsequent period, even 

 after two or three children have been born, the husband sends the usual 

 (Hindii,) summons to amarriage of areca-nut and betel leaf 5 and, when 

 the relatives are assembled, the bride and bridegroom are publicly 

 seated in state under the marriage pandal : the want of complete- 

 ness in the former contract is made up; and all, needful ceremonies 

 being gone through, they perform the public procession through the 

 streets of the town ; when they break the cocoa-nut in the presence of 

 Vignesvara (Ganesa) ; and, according to the means possessed by the 

 parties, the celebration of the marriage is concluded in one day, or 

 prolonged to two, three, or four, days. The tali before tied on, has the 

 name of katu-tdU, and the name of the last ceremony is called the 

 removal of the former deficiency. If it so happen that after the first 

 ceremony, the second be not performed, then the children of such an 

 alliance are lightly regarded among the Maravas. Should the husband 

 die during the continuance of the first relation, and before the second 

 ceremony be performed, then the dead body of the man, and also the 

 woman are placed upon the same seat, and the ceremonies of the second 

 marriage, according to the customs of the tribe being gone through, 

 the tali is taken off ; the woman is considered to be a widow, andean 

 marry with some other man. These two customs of tying on the tali, 

 and the consequent ceremony, are common to all the subdivisions of the 

 Maravas. 



The like usages also obtain among the class of people termed Agam- 

 badiyar. Besides, w'ith the exceptions of the Kallars (collaries) of the 

 Tovdaman 's country, the Kallars of the Visanga district, and the Kal- 

 lars of the eighteen pall-'yams (districts) connected with the Tanjore 

 kingdom, all the tribes of the Kallar caste, throughout the Madura 

 country, follow the preceding customs of the first and second marriage, 

 in the aforesaid manner. " 



Among the Maravas, the kings or the rulers of districts, or principal 

 men, are accustomed to perform the ceremony of tying on the tali, or 

 in performing the marriage at once in full, with reference to females of 



