The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-08-27
MARRIAGE AMONG HIHDus.
ELABORATE CEREMONIES At 4 WE'D
DING Of A RICH GIRL.

a-Ene nrlnesa DFeen.
In this country. where the march
nom Lohengrin. white silk frock
and few unintelligible responses make
an elaborate wedding. the bare idea Of .
small twelve year-old girl requiring nine
hours TO bind herself to the man Of her
fathers choice seems absurd in the ex-
treme. says the Boston Transcript.
Whether the outlay Of strength and
rupees that such an event incurs has
anything to do with the tenacious pro-
hibition OF second marriage for the gem
tier sex has never been explained, but as
the Hindus are practical people and an
avaricious people 1t does not appear nm
likely.
In tie first place with them to be .
woman and unmarried is little short OF
crime. yet to marry. obviously one
must have money. As an outcome Of
this when daughters are born to the poor
Bantam he helps them out Of the world
BY the simple and negative method Of
not giving them food. one man admitted,
quite as matter Of course. having fol.
lowed this up through long succession
Of some twenty girl babies. But II the
baby's papa has financial position that
admits Of her growing up, and u Bonn
bay Hindu that Is with no prejudice
against Europeansl, you may perhaps be
hidden to one Of those high functions
that come for her at an age when our chill
dren are playing with dolls. In that
case, allowing for variations in individ-
ual taste, You may find the affair some
thing in this wise:
At about six In the afternoon, when
the air has trifle more life, you make
your way to the house of the brides IA
Their. Outside the door your notice is
first attracted by many rows Of shoes
that the guests within have taken of
out Of respect to the household gods.
This may be delicate attention that the
gods refuse to get along without, but
you cannot help wondering how on
earth any one ever knows his own pair
again. The drawing room into which
you are ushered Is in tawdry imitation
Of q French hotel There are gay rugs
everywhere and the furniture, which is
exceedingly ornate, is covered with
bright crimson satin. By this kindly
provision Of chairs, however, one Is en-
abled to sit a Ia Angldis."
On entering, the head Of the house
comes forward to greet You with pro-
found salaam, then all the standing or
squatting Hindus follow his example,
and it is your duty to salaam indefatig-
ably in return, but always with your
right hand, else the company will think
your manners exceedingly funny, and.
what is more, prove it by laughing. The
bride and bridegroom move about in
formally, speaking to acquaintance.
The groom shares with his western
brother the paradoxical fate Of being
necessary but unimportant He is
noticeable only for high turban studded
with priceless number of uncut gems,
that make it look neither comfortable
nor brilliant
The bride, on the contrary, is rather
charming. Her costume consists merely
of tight fitting yellow Indian silk
bodice, with yards of the same mate
rial swathed loosely about her supple
body, and one end thrown over the hair.
She is further ornamented by earrings,
finger rings, a nose ring and bangles
that reach to the shoulder; on her pretty
ankles are the heavy anklet chains that
clink when she steps. Altogether she
would be a lovely and picturesque little
object If she were only playing in
tableaus instead Of pitiful real life.
But all interest in her is Immediately
snuffed out, on the arrival of the Nautch
girls. They are two or, more, hired
dancers, whose performances appears to
be the most welcome and wonderful
feature of the entire occasion. In dress
they are not unlike our own ballet girls,
wearing from fifteen to twenty gauze
skirts; the largest of these reaches to the
feet and the others are graduated to
within half a yard of the waist Their
so-called dance is strange and weird and
after the first fifteen minutes remarkably
uninteresting. 1t is made up of series
of impossible poses, in parts SO slow as to
remind one of the last twitches Of a
mechanical toy when it is nearly run
down. As an Indian ballad has it
They posture, bob, whirligig, wriggle like
cells.
And all the time shufie about on their heels,
Keeping time to the pipers' and tom-tom-
mers' strains,
with the clink Of their ankiets Of resonant
chains.
When this has gone on until You are
exhausted and the rest Of the audience is
reduced to state of entranced breath
lessness. the really sacred part Of the
rites begin.
An adjournment is made to an outer
room, with an earthen floor, in the CEN
tire of which bright fire is burning.
Around this. in the presence of many
witnesses, the young couple promenade
solemnly, seven times, carefully clasping
each Others right hands By one of the
eldest customs ever kept up they must
go always toward the right. because it is
a festive occasion; should mistake be
made and turn to the left taken the
direst misfortune and sorrow would be
the result anticipated. In the mean