1894.] E. Vansittart— Tribes , Clans , and Castes af Nepal. 241 
of the bride. The actual marriage takes place at night, when the 
ceremony of Pherd (circmn-ambulation round the sacred fire) is performed 
and afterwards the Ancal Gatlid (knotting a cloth which is stretched 
from the bridegroom’s waist over the bride’s shoulder). The latter 
ceremony is said to constitute the essential marriage tie. 
After marriage a divorce can be obtained by a Gurung (and often 
amongst Magars, too) by going through a ceremony called “Sinko 
Dago” or “Sinko Pangra,” but both the husband and wife must agree 
to this. A husband has to pay R40 for his divorce, and the wife R160. 
Two pieces of split bamboo are tied together, placed on two mud 
balls, and the money is put close by. If either party takes up the 
bamboos, breaks them, and picks up the money, the other party can 
go his or her way in peace and amity, and marry again legally. 
In Nepal, Lamas, assisted by Giabrings, fulfil the priestly function 
of the Gurungs, both of the Charjat and the Solahjat, but in our regi¬ 
ments Gurung marriage ceremonies are performed by Brahmans. They 
say with true philosophy, “ Jaisd des, ivaisd bhes, ” which might be 
translated as “ Do in Rome as the Romans do.” 
In Nepal no ceremony, whether that of marriage, burial, or naming 
a child at birth, is performed until the officiating Lama has determined 
the propitious moment by consultation of astrological tables, and by 
casting the horoscope. On this much stress is laid. In the marriage 
of Gurungs some ceremony resembling the Ancal Gathd is performed 
by the Lamas, and red lead is sprinkled by the bridegroom over the 
head of the bride. This completes the actual ceremony. All friends 
and relations are supposed to look away from the bride whilst the red 
lead is actually being sprinkled. This ceremony is called “ Sindur 
halnu” “ to sprinkle red lead.” 
A Magar will not allow his daughter to marry into the clan from 
which he may himself have taken a wife, but Gurungs have no objec¬ 
tion to this. Neither Magars nor Gurungs, however, will take wives 
from the clan they may belong to themselves. 
Deaths and mourning. —Dulckhd baknu, “ to mourn.”—In our 
regiments, on the death of a near relative, leave is granted for 13 days. 
For a father the son mourns 13 days. If an unmarried daughter dies, 
the father mourns 13 days, unless she is still sucking her mother’s 
breasts, when he would only mourn for 5 days. If a married daughter 
dies, the father mourns her for one day only, but the father-in-law will 
mourn for 13 days. Men shave their heads, lips, cheek, chins, and 
eyebrows for parents ; also for an elder brother if both parents are dead, 
but not otherwise. 
Men only shave their heads for sons, younger brothers, and daugh¬ 
ters if unmarried. 
