Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-11-21
CUTTING DOWN THE COST.
Laws to limit Wedding Expenses In In.
dia-A Novel Reform.

Laws Co Limit wedding Expenses IN an
dia-A Novel Reform.
A novel sort of reform in the matter Of
marriage has been instituted by the gov
eminent in the states of Rajputana, in
India, the object being as stated by Col.
G. M. X. Walter, agent to the governor
general, in a recent report to the Eng
fish authorities, the suppression Of in
fanticide among Rajputs." The most
immediate inference is that parents hesi-
tate to raise children on account Of the
trouble of getting them married off, but
it may be that Col. Walker intends to in
innate that the existing marriage Gus
toms lead to an infrequency of matri-
mony and to other events conducive to
the violent putting away of infants. At
any rate, the fact seems to have been
that marriage among Rajputs Of any
social standing has heretofore been a very
serious financial question, both for the
would be bridegroom and for the pa
rents of the prospective bride, and the
reforms are in the direction of fixing an
arbitrary limit beyond which the ez-
penditure at wedding shall not go.
The first of these new rules, under
which hereafter two Raiput hearts will
be made to beat as one, fixes the maxi
mum amount to be expended at mar
riages at one-quarter of the annual in
come of Thakur, or nobleman, whose
income is 10000 rupees or over; one
third of incomes between 10000 and
10000 rupees; one-half of incomes
between 10000 and 1000 rupees, and
two-thirds of all incomes below 1000
rupees. Rajputs with no regular income
at all are not to be allowed to spend over
100 rupees at a wedding. 1t Is explained
that the percentage of expenditure is
allowed TO increase as the total income
decreases because smaller sums could not
secure the proper performance OF the
marriage ceremonies.
The second rule does away with I'll ex-
penditure on occasions of betrothal, and
provides thai at such times the parties or
their representatives shall simply drink a
decoction of opium water together and
present betcl leaves, and the written re-
cord of the engagement of marriage shall
then be signed. This tomfoolery does
away with the previously necessary pre-
bridegroom by the father Of the bride
expectant of an elephant, horses, camcls,
iewelry, and other little tritic5 to value
rarely less, among well-to-do ThaEus,
than 10000 rupees.
The third rule is for the benefit Of the
family of the bride also, and limits the
amount to be expended IS ''Tyng,
largesse to the Charms, Bhats, Dholis,
and others, at 0per cent. of the whole
income whore that exceeds | 900 rupees,
A 1-2 per cent. where the income is be-
tween 1 900 and 800 rul ees, and nothing
at all for Thallurs with less than 500
rupees income. it is also provided that
this expenditure for ''Tyag' must be in
cludetl in the amount fixed under the
first rule as the limit of expenditure
upon the wedding. This does away with
what has heretofore been frequently the
most expensive thing about lsajput
marriage. Numerous cases are cited
| where the "Tyag" alone on the occasion
Of the marriage Of n daughter or a sister
has been very iAuch more than tho whole
income of the Thakur for the year. An.
| other important change made by tho
new rules provides that only Charms,
| Bhats and similar lersonages from tho
state in which the marriage is celebrated
shall be allowed to he present at tho cerc
mony, and Of these the number shall bC
regulated by the standing committee in
escn state. whose duty it is oversee thu
enforcement Of the new regulations.
At the end comes q rule, which prob
ably affec.s or begins 20 effect mor'
important reform tllan all the rest pu'
together 1t prohibits the marriage Of {
man unde.: IS or girl under II, and /:
the first attempt made in the Rajputanc
to stop the custom OF early marriages. by
which young maid is often doomed tC
be widow all her lie ere yet she ha:
ever been wife, The rule Is said Il
have been proposed Ly tho chief o.
! Dundi. who has been great Uphddcr d
the ancient customs. AMI Is regarded u
an important evidence Of the growth d
modern ideas In Indin.
Another innovation, Incorporated a.
an after thought into tho now rules
limits the expenditure at funeral feast5
md. II il said, will 10 an immense relic
10 tho Rajputs. New Yor.. III.