, 1890-08-07
BRAHMIN NUPTIALS.
Marriage Ceremony in High
Life In Bonn bay.
REMARKABLE WEDDING FEAST
The Bride Wears Two Rings, a
Peculiar Garland and Other
Odd Ornaments.

An interesting description of q
Hindoo wedding, written by Sarah
ID. Hamlin from Bombay, appears
In II recent issue OF the san Fran
cisco Bulletin, and from IL the fol-
lowing extract Is taken:
AS 1t was growing late we felt
that we had waited long enough
and prepared to proceed brideward.
This seemed to be the signal for u
new departure, and II procession
was again formed. At the brides
house few changes had been made,
but n 'choree" or marriage hall had
been formed by placing at each of
the four corners of n square earthep-
ware water-vessels, one above tho
other, and held I'm position by sup
ports Of bamboo. In the center was
the sacred fire. Hardly had
we arrived when everybody
took seats as before, though
the cashmere-shawled father did
not appear, and the bride and the
groom no longer sat opposite each
other, but side by side. The priests
performed "ilre sacrifice" before
them and fastened the boys scarf to
the marriage veil of the girl. The
wur mala, or marriage garland, com-
posed of twenty.four strings of red
cotton, was hung around their
necks, their hands were again
Joined beneath the dirty scarf, tho
woman sang nuptial hymns in
honor Of the gods krishna and Ram,
and then commenced series of new
performances in which the "bride-
groom's mother-in-law" was the
principal actor.
First great platter Of food was
brought, which the mother pre-
sented to her daughter, who first
gave ID to her bridegroom, and he
then helped her. Red powder was
put upon the forehead OF both again
and again, not only by priest,
"bridcgroom's mother-in-law," and
the little brother, but by
numerous female friends. Again
and again was the immense
platter, resembling u paint
shop with it's various powders,
brought forth. Hands and feet of
bride and groom We're rubbed with
red powder, 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 feet, and the palmer toe-rings
lac.
from one foot to the other. Louder
and louder grew the nuptial songs,
and one hlgn-voiced woman, the
leader of the singers OH our side of
the 'chorec," seemed to be firing
challenges ut the officiating priest,
and he to be replying to her in an
eXpostulatory manner. Then the
brass bands would begin, play "a
moment and stop, never by any ac-
cideDt In harmony. AZ the noise
subsidized for time an immense
brass platter was brought where
upon rice had been arranged some
what in the form of the letter y,
which Is a mystic symbol used in
religious ceremonies from n remote
period, and signifying success and
happiness.
Into the angles of tho cross red
powder was sprinkled by the priest,
and surrounding friends began to
throw copper coins upon 1t. They
seemed To be tossing for the fortunes
OF the young couple, one of whom,
who seemed 80 weary, and disgust
ed, and half-blinded by the smoke,
was reapedly yawning and looking
around as If to ask If relief would
ever come, while he was nearly
roasted by the fire, 30 near which
he was Obliged to sit. A pan was
brought in ut this stage of the pro-
ceedings, In which We're two or three
kinds Of meal. Ghee, or clarified
butter, being put upon the floor, the
officiating woman, or the "bride-
groom's mother-in-law," proceeded
to stir 1t with her hand and make a
kind OF dough, of which bride
groom, bride, mother-in-law, and
priest each took Il little and dropped
on the fire, which was now burning
Finally bride and groom arose,
and he, with one arm around her
neck, embracing her AS though she
were u porcupine and he were afraid
of the quilts, they proceeded around
the "choree," guided by the priest
and pausing at each of the four
columns of eartheuware pots, where
appropriate signs of worship were
made. Singing, gesticulation and
powdering followed, and us they sat
again the sacred betel-leaf was given
to each, and they placed 1t upon the
fire. Four times they made the cir
and we Were told
that If by any chance this was done
only three times it was no real mar
riage.
On the fourth return bride and
groom, now husband and wife, ex-
changed their seats, and then came
Almost all the
female friends came forward and
put silver rupees in the BRIDES hand
and stepping behind her embraced
her from behind. We were told
that this was the end.
Catching whale ira Maryland.
Princess Anne letter in the Balti-