1884.] 
of Religion in the Himalaya. 
97 
Verification of family.—-In tlie meantime, a Braliman of the bride¬ 
groom’s party prepares the altar, consecrates it, and lights the fire. 
The bride’s father then gives four pieces of clotli to the bridegroom and 
he returns two for his bride. The bride’s father then raises the curtain 
and allows the parties to see each other. Then the celebrant on the 
girl’s side, after reading the dsirvdda verse,* asks the celebrant on the 
boy’s side the gotra, pravai'-a, sdichd, veda, ancestors for three generations, 
and name of the boy. The celebrant on the boy’s side recites a similar 
verse and replies to the questions asked, winding up with a request for 
like information as to the girl’s family, which is given. The questions 
and answers are repeated three times, the verses alone being changed. 
This section of the rite winds up with the usual gifts, and dedicatory 
prayers and a hoina of four sweetmeats, two from the bride’s house 
offered by the bridegroom and two from the bridegroom’s house offered 
by the bride. 
The giving away. —At the exact time fixed for giving away the girl, 
the bride’s father turns his face to the north, whilst the bride looks to¬ 
wards the west. The father then extends his hand and the girl places 
her hand (palm upwards) in her father’s hand with fingers closed and 
thumb extended, and holding in the palm /tuia-grass, sesamum, barley 
and gold. The boy takes hold of the girl’s thumb, whilst the mother of 
the girl pours water on the* three hands during the recital of the dedica¬ 
tion by the celebrant. This portion of the rite concludes with the for¬ 
mal bestowal of the girl generally called the hanyd-ddna. When this is 
concluded the girl leaves her father’s side of the hall and joins her hus¬ 
band, when the ddnavdhya-\ is read, and the father of the bride addresses 
her and prays that if any error has been committed in bringing her up 
it may be forgiven. Next an address with offerings is made by the bride¬ 
groom to his father-in-law, thanking him for the gift of his well-cared- 
for daughter. In return the father declares the girl’s dowry, and the 
clothes of the two are knotted together. Then come the usual gifts, 
aspersion, and offering of flowers. The bride and bridegroom then pro¬ 
ceed to a second altar J which is usually erected outside the marriage 
hall and whilst mantras are recited by the celebrant circumambulate 
the outer circle. 
The circurnamhulation. —This being done the dghdra-homa follows 
which comprises twelve offerings conjointly made by bride and bride- 
* In praise of Hara and Hari. 
t Containing fonr verses from the Pnranas. 
X This altar is abont a cubit square and is surrounded by a hedge of branches of 
the sacred trees connected together with twine, outside which the circuinambnlatiou 
takes place either three, five, or seven times. 
N 
