Chitpavans Marriage Part VI

As soon as the astrologer has been presented with the hour-cups and the coconaut the sabha pujan or guest-worship is performed for which invitations were issued the day before. The male guests are seated either in the hall of the house or in the marriage porch. Those who are bhikshuks or begging priests sit on one side of the room and the laymen sit on the other side; a few of the highest of each class are provided with pillows. In front of the guests sit dancing-girls, and before the dancing-girls are laid silver plates with betel packets, flower garlands, nosegays, and sweet-smelling davna or Artemisia abrotanum and marva or sweet marjoram shrubs. There are also silver jars of rosewater and boxes of perfumery. A few of the host's friends rise from among the guests and hand the articles. Packets of betelnuts and leaves are given first to rich or learned laymen and priests and then to the rest; next each is given a flower garland their clothes are sprinkled with rosewater, and their wrists are rubbed with scented oil. Besides these each wealthy layman is given a cocoanut and each learned cleric 1½ d. to 4s. (1 anna - Re. 2). Except the poor clerics all withdraw thanking the host for his hospitality, and their friend attendance. The poor priests go into the yard, and as they leave the host gives each ¾ d to 6 d. (½- 4 as.) called ramnyachi dakshana or the toy-present. Each of the women guests is given a cocoanut and all retire.

Outside the house in a square tracing is placed a grindstone and in front of the stone a bathing tub filled with warm water. Around the stone are set five water-pots or tambe filled with cold water. The boy and the girl are seated on the stone and bathed. Married women sprinkle water from the five pots on the head of the boy and girl, and the boy, taking a mouthful of water, blows it over the body of the girl's sister and the girl on the body of the boy's sister. Wiping dry their bodies with a towel, the boy and girl dress in fresh clothes are led into the house and seated on two low wooden stools, the girl to the right of the boy. Then, taking a necklace of black glass beads with a gold button in it, the boy worships it and fastens it round the girl's neck. Then, on a low wooden- stool in front of him, the boy lays two pinches of rice and two betelnuts and turmeric roots, and worships. The rice is tied to the hems of the boy's and girl's clothes and after the marriage ceremony is over is cast away.

For the vivaha or marriage which is also called grahapravesh or house-entering the boy and girl are seated on low wooden stools near each other dressed in silk waistcloths and robes. In front of them an earthen altar is raised and on its four sides blades of darbha grass are spread. To its left are set four leaf-cups mango leaves and sacred grass, and, either in a new winnowing fan or on a leaf-plate, are placed parched rice gains, and behind them a sandal grindstone. In front of the boy are set a water-pot and cup and on each of his third fingers is put a ring of darbha grass. Fire is lit on the altar and fed with butter, with scared sticks or samidha, and with bent grass or durva, and a little butter is sprinkled over the grain. The girl's brother comes and seats himself in front of the girl facing her. He puts two haudfuls of parched grain into the girl's hands and the boy holding the girl's hands in his left hand and covering them with his right, both the boy and the girl stand with their hands covered, and throw the parched grain over the fire, Then the boy, taking the girl's right hand in his own right hand, walks round the fire for the first time, and makes the girl stand on the sandal grindstone. After this the boy and girl take their seats on the wooden stools as before. He takes the girl's hand a second time and walks round the fire. At the time of taking the third turn the boy lifts the girl in his ,arms or sets her on his right hip and completes the third turn. The remaining parched grain the boy throws in the fire pours more butter on it, and the ceremony is over.

After the marriage-fire or vivaha-hom comes the sapta-padi or seven steps. While the boy and girl are sitting on the stools the priest calls to the women and children in the house to come and see the husband lift up his wife, and as this is a funny sight all cluster round the couple. The sacrificial fire is rekindled. To the left of the fire seven small heaps of rice are made in a straight line and close by is set the sandal grinstone. The boy and girl leave their seats, and the boy thrice takes a handful of rice and throws it into the fire. He then lifts the girl, carries her on his left arm, and walks a thrice round the fire. Before taking the third turn he sets the girl down, and standing behind her the girl's brother sets the been foot so that he pushes the girl's foot right over the heaps of rice, the priest repeating a verse when each step is taken. In return for the help he has given the girl's brother is presented with a turban. As soon as the seventh heap of rice is broken, the priest asks the boy's sister to press down the girl's big toe and for this service she is presented with a cocoanut. The bride now stands on the sandal-stone and the boy, lifting her as before, once more walks round the fire. When this turn is finished the boy and girl again take their seats on the low wooden stools and feed the fire with butter and parched grain. After the seven steps are taken the boy and the girl are taken outside of the house and the priest points to them the pole or dhruva star. They look at it, bow to it with joined hands, and coming back into the house feed one another. When the feeding is over small round betel-leaf parcels are given to the boy and girl. By turns they hold one end of the rolled leaf in their teeth and the other bites off the end. After this they play games of odds and evens, the boy is pressed to take the girl on his knee, and they are told to kiss each other.

Meanwhile the boy's female relations take offence and go back to the boy's house. After they have gone the girl's relations fill bamboo baskets with split pulse, wheat flour, a cup full of butter, molases, a little bran and oilcakes, rice, scented oil, redpowder, and cocoanuts, and placing them on the heads of servants, go to the boy's house, and fill the offended women's laps with" grain pulse and coconuuts, rub scented oil on their hairs and redpowder on their brows, and ask them to come to ther house in a feast. To please the boy, who like his female relattions is supposed to be annoyed, the girl's brother and father bring a richly trapped horse to the boy's house. They beseech him to come back and dine, but he refuses and asks for ornaments or rich clothes. The girl's father agrees to give him what he wishes, and with the boy's kinspeople and friends returns in triumph to the girl's. Here the guests are all seated, and when dinner is announced all wash their hands and feet, put on silk waistcloths, and take their seats. The boy, wearing a new silk waistcloth, sits with the girl at the head of the male guests and they feed one another from the same plate. The women guests dine it the same time in a separate room in front of the boy's mother a lighted lamp is set and she is asked to take her seat and break the wafer biscuit which is served on her leaf-plate. Then follows what is known as ukhana or metrical bantering.