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Statistical Report on the Xortfiern and [No. 38, 



Bists in filling three lotahs with fragments of cocoanut, turmeric,, 

 the leaves of sacred trees, &c, covering them with earth and 

 praying over them, is performed. Some time is then allowed to 

 intervene, when a dinner is given, by the relatives of the bride, to 

 the bridegroom, and his party, at which the future husband is in- 

 troduced to his wife, rice, and fennel seed with goor, and turmeric 

 are placed on the bride's head by the bridegroom, on whose head 

 they are at the same time placed by the bride. A temporary hut 

 made of green boughs, or simply a chubootra being previously 

 constructed, the betrothed are seated on it, and on their heads is 

 cast rice by the guests, the bridegroom then affixes by a string a 

 small gold button called the mungalsuttoor, to his wife's neck, and 

 which is only parted with in widowhood, a ceremony neglected by the 

 Coonbees who plead hereditary poverty as an excuse for the omis- 

 sion of this ceremony. Among the Brahmins, follows the rite call- 

 ed Om. An altar of mud is raised, on which a fire for five days is 

 kept burning, and which is fed by rice, ghee, and spices ; over this 

 fire, invocations to the gods are addressed, and their blessings on 

 the pair are craved by the priests, this is called sudur. On the 

 third day the bride is arrayed in her jewels, and the basalingum, a 

 painted piece of paste board or toosa, an imitation of flowers ia 

 affixed, the first to her forehead, the second is stuck in her hair. 

 A ceremony repeated on her bridegroom. The fourth day is th© 

 day of feasting, and when the Brahmins are satisfied, the Dhobees, 

 Hajjams, &c, are permitted to consume the fragments of the feast. 

 On the fifth day, follows the procession through the bazar, which 

 with some more praying and feasting winds up the ceremony. 

 Brahmins will not approach the lowest castes in their marriages, 

 their place being taken by tumrees, who do their best to ape their 

 betters, Bunnyahs, Telmahs, Coonbees, &c. who copy as closely 

 as they can or are permitted to do, the Brahmin usages, in their 

 bridal ceremonies, get Brahmins to mutter over the married pair, 

 some unintelligible muntrum, which they are pleased to consider 

 a blessing but which for aught they know to the contrary may be 

 a vat rhyme, or a curse on their presumption, but the Tumrees, 

 and Satanies are the real priests. In the processions through the 

 bazar, different castes claim different privileges, the canopy over 

 the Dhernee is supported at its four corners, one of which is al- 

 lowed to full loose over the bride of the Chumar. The Dho'bees 



