240 
E. Vansittart— Tribes, Clans , and Castes of Nepal. [No. 4, 
On arriving at that age a grand dinner is given, and the Brahmans 
are feasted and propitiated. Every friend and relation that has been 
invited is supposed to feed the child with grain, but this is merely a 
form, each man just putting a grain in the child’s mouth. The ceremony 
is called “ Bhat khilana,” “ to feed with rice. 
Betrothals. —All the friends and relations are also supposed to give 
the child presents, which generally take the shape of bangles of silver or 
gold. Betrothals (called Mangni) take place at any age over five years. 
When a marriage is agreed upon, the parents of the boy give a gold 
ring to the girl as a sign of betrothal. This is called “Sahi MundrI.” 
Five or six friends of the parents of the boy, and these must belong 
to the same clan as the boy, and five or six friends of the parents of 
the girl, and these must belong to the same clan as the girl’s father, 
assemble to witness the agreement in the presence of a Brahman. 
A dinner is then given to the friends and relations of the contracting 
parties by the father of the girl, but the father of the boy is supposed 
to take with him some dahl (sour milk) and plantains as his share to¬ 
wards the dinner. 
After a betrothal, except by breaking off the engagement, which can 
be done by going through a certain ceremony before witnesses, but which 
is considered very bad form, neither party can marry any one else, 
except on the death of one of them, when, if the real marriage has not 
taken place, or been consummated, they can do so. 
Marriages. —Marriages can take place at any time after the age 
of 7. It is considered good to get a girl married before she reaches the 
age of 13. A widow cannot marry a second time, but it is not considered 
disgraceful for her to form part of another man’s household. A widower 
can marry again. 
If a boy, without being engaged to her, meets a girl, falls in 
love, runs away and marries her, he and his bride cannot approach 
the girl’s father until called by him. When the father-in-law relents, 
he will send word telling the boy that he may present himself 
with his wife at his home on a certain hour of a certain day. On 
their arrival the father-in-law will paint a spot on their fore¬ 
heads with a mixture of rice and dahi (tiled dinnu or garnu) and then 
the boy and girl will have to make submission by bending down and 
saluting him. This is called “ Dhole Dinnu. ,y 
Amongst Magars it is customary for marriages to be performed by 
Brahmans, and the ceremony is conducted in much the same way as the 
ordinary Hindu marriage There is the marriage ceremony, Janti , which 
is so timed as to reach the bride’s house after midday, and which is first 
greeted with a shower of rice-balls, and then feasted by the parents 
