Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-01-03
a lEindoo Wedding.
A RECOLLECTION OF 1905.

tlned 10 the nOuSe, tudt tue young ""'hN"
after they are ten or twelve years of age
see no male persons, not even their owF
brothers. The houses of wealthy persons
are all constructed so that they have no win
dows that look into the streets, but are bull
in SQUARES the windows looking into the In
terror. The only entrance is by one large
gate where The dOorlsan o: porter sls nigh
and day; for he eats, drinks and sleeps in.
side the gate; and when ne has occasion tc
90 TO the river to battle, and say his prayers
he does regularly every morning
he is relieved by trustworthy person, SC
that no one can go in or out without the
fact being known.
All Europeans of ahy note also keep
doorwan, who. when any stranger goes IN
to the house, calls after him "Bhar CO.
Sahib, iah, chubber, dijoc )" that is, to in
form the servants Of the house that {
strange gentleman has gone in and to lei
the master know. BY This you will see the
place is strictly guarded; and it is very dit
fcuIt 70 get IN, except a. the Durga PooJah
and other great holidays, when three sides
of the house are opened to strangers, anc
the women of the family removed TO the
zenana, or the side OF the square opposite
the gate, the windows of which are gene
rally glazed with ground glass, that give
light, but cannot be seen through. The
great baboos have their children betrothec
when very young, and, as they are nevel
allowed to see strangers, the father lcoE'
out for suitable matches for them the mo-
theirs are out of the question for they see
no persons but their husbands or servants
The fathers, when they have sons or daugh'
ters come to the aye of betrothal, which is
generally, when the boy is twelve, and The
girl eight or nine, look out for match fol
them in some respectable family of thelI
0,cn caste, and who can likewise i've suit
able ortion with their children.
There are also female agents, or match
makers, who 90 about uncer pretence OF
selling fine dresses, clothing, or trnkets
and who make profitable trade in looking
out for good looking girls, and recommend
ing them to the mothers who have sous
come of age. After they have made an ei
igible match, The fathers make bargain ioi
the sum that each is TO give to the children
70 set up housekeeping. aud fix the time
when The wedding is to take place. lc
make the arrange ment sure, native rakefL
or lawyer is employed 10 draw up the deed
with penalty in case oil failure. w hen
the wedding is to take pIace-that is when
the young people are to live together
which is. generally, when the boy is eish-
teen, and the girl fouriecn-all their male
relations and acquaintances are told there
will be a great MmdSSd," or procession a
the wedding, and they are invited to al
tend. Ii the bows father is rich, he viii
spend great deal Of money on this lortu-
nate occasion.
| remember, in 1905, very rich baboo
with whom | had frequent dealings, and
who made all his money BY trading w!t1
Europeans, having a grand tamassa at his
sons wedding which lasted three days
There was gorgeous procession through
the streets of Calcutta during that time, al
which no less than one thousand hired per-
sons assembled; and besides other devices
there was large mountain made Oh BAN
boos and paper, on which were placed
numbers OF trees and bushes, with wild
animals and birds, from the elephant and
tiger to the squirrel and mouse, and from
the cassowary (the Indian ostrlch) to the
wren-all made Of The same material, ano
painted to the life. This was carried
through the streets on The heads OF proba'
bly not less than hundred men, curtaIt
hanging down TO prevent the bearers from
being seen.
A guard of hundred men, in uniform,
went before, and the same number follow
ed, all with imitation muskets on then
shoulders, covered with gun cases OF rec
and yellow cloth, and intermiXed with nu
merous bands OF drums (tom-toms) and
other instruments. The bridegroom, in bis
paIkee, finely dressed in gold-embroiderec
muslin, carried by four men, AMI the gr
in her dowIah, closely cove:ed up with
cloth, followed close in the rear guarded
on each side by number of men dressed
as srpoys. | think the procession was q
quarter of a mile long IN the narrow
Streets where the black population live
After much show and parade OF this kind
Tor three days, it was intmated when the
marriage ceremony was to take place; and
as there is always great deal of money
given away among the poor at this time,
there is always great attendance OF such
wedding guests. The marriage ceremony
is performed in the square OF the father ;
house by Brahmln OF high caste, who
pronounces an elaborate harrangue on the
good qualities of the brdegrooms aud
brides father; then on those Of the bride
and bridegroom themselves; and then a
PRAYER that they may prosper, multiply,
and repIenish the earth, there being great
mourning III the house if there are no
children even in the first year.
The time has now come when the bride
groom first sees his bride. They having
been placed in their palkees under the re
nana-that side Of the square where none
of the company are-the bride is closely
covered up in her dowlah, and the Brah-
min, holding looking-glass in his hand,
gently opens the cloth, and holding the
mirror in front Of the bride. desires the
bridegroom 10 look in it and say whether
he is satisfied to take this lady for bis wife.
If he says yes then the ceremony goes on
and is concluded with grand invocation
to the gods, ending with great huzza, and
might drumming OF the tom-toms. Dur
ing the colse, there is generally scramble
in the streets foT money, which is scatter
ed to the poor. The company then dis
perse; the square is searched by the door
vans the door is locked, and the next
day that part of the town is as quiet as if
nothing had happened. But if, on the fate
ful question beng put. the bridegroom says
no--a thing which rarely occurs-ihen
there is stop to the whole proceedings,
the company is dismissed, and the girl Ia