Show A HINDO MARRIAGE n Queer Brahmin Nuptials at a Ceremony in Bombay THE LAVISH USE OF POWDER The MotherInLaw as Important a Factor in Such Affairs as She Is u Here As it was growing late we felt thatwe hI waited long enough and prepared to proceed brideward This seemed to be the signal lor a new departure and a procession was again formed At the brides house few changes had been IDJ jje but a choree or marriage hall had been formed by placing at each of the four corners of a square earthenware earthen-ware water vessels one above the other and held in position by supports of bam boo In tho center was the sacred tire Hardly had wo arrived when everybody took seats Tho priests performed the sacrifice before them and fastened the boys scarf to tho marriage veil of the I girl The wur maIn or marriage garland gar-land composed of twentyfour strings I of red cotton was hung around their necks their hands were again joined beneath be-neath the dirty scarf the women sang nuptial hymns in honor of the gods Krishna and Ram and then commenced a series of performances in which the bridegrooms motherinlaw was the principal actor MOTHCRINLANV TAKES A HAND First a great platter of food was brought which the mother presented to her daughter who first gave of it to her bridegroom and he then helped her Red powder was put upon the forehead of both again and again not only by priest bridegrooms motherinlaw and the little brother but by numerous female friends Again and again was the immense im-mense platter resembling a paint shop with its various powders brought forth Hands and feet of bride and groom were rubbed with red powdor which is an emblem of prosperity anointed with oil and washed with water Hands were made to touch each other many times and toes touch toes We could see that the brides little brown feet were heavy with toe rings whose pendants half covered the foot and the plainer toe rings the mother was constantly removing from one foot to the other Louder and louder grew tho nuptial songs and one high voiced woman the leader of the singers on our side of the choree seemed to be firing challenges at the officiating priest and he to bo replying to her in an expostu latory manner Then the brass bands I would begin play a moment and stop never by any accident in harmony As I the noise subsided for a time an immense brass platter was brought whereupon rice had been arranged somewhat in the form of the letter X which is a mystic symbol used in religious ceremonies from a very remote period and signify ing success and happiness SONGS GESTURES AND POWDER Into the angles of the cross red powder was sprinkled by the priest and surrounding sur-rounding friends began to throw copper coins upon it They seemed to be tossing toss-ing for the fortunes of the young couple one of whom who seemed so weary and disgusted and half blinded by the smoke was repeatedly yawning and looking around as if to ask if relief would ever come while he was nearly roasted by the fire so near which hewas obliged sit A pan was brought in at this part of the proceedings in which were two or three kinds of meal Ghee or clarified butter being put upon the flour the officiating woman or the bridegrooms motherin law proceeded to stir it with her hand and to make a kind of dough of which bridegroom bride motherinlaw and priest each took a little and dropped on the fire which was now burning brightly Finally bride and groom arose and he with one arm around her neck embrac ing her as though she were a porcupine and he were afraid of the quills they proceeded around the choree guided by tho priest and pausing at evh of the four columns of earthenware potswhere appropriate signs of worship wero made Singing gesticulation and powdering followed and as they sat again the sacred betel leaf was given to each and they placed it upon the fire Four times they made the circuinanibulation and we were told that if by any chance this was done only three times it was no real marriage On the fourth return bride and groom now htbiband and wife exchanged their seats and then came congratulations Almost all the female friends came forward for-ward and put silver rupees in the brides hand and stepping behind her embraced her from behind We were told that this was tho end SarahD Hamlin in San Francisco Bulletin |