The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-10
MARRIAGE CEREMONIAL.
Account Of. so46e Very Curious Ones
in South India.

In South India.
A writer ("B. B.') in the Pioneer
MALI gives description of the quaint
marriage ceremonials of a South
Indian Romish Christian sect known as
the Cochikars Qiterally Cochin people,.
They belong almost exclusively to
Cochin, Travancore, and Malabar, and
like most Indian communities are
home staying. They are the descend
ants of Malayli Hindus who were con-.
verified to Romanisrn in the fourteenth
century. Conversions from among the
low castles of Hindus still continue to
bring recruits to the fold. Most of
these Cochikars are artisans by profess
sion, carpentry being most popular and
st. Joseph is the patron saint of the
class. The men are slightly built and
as rule we'll featured. The women
are comedy, like all the higher native
races Of the Malabar littoral, with soft,
round faces, dark, dreamy eyes, and the
most luxuriant raven tresses, that
almost hang down to the ground A
white jacket very slightly decollete,
and white or red cloth wrapped round
several times, and picturesquely tucked
away at the waist behind, go to make
The Cochikars marry their girls at a
very early age, often before the years
of puberty. Their conjugal customs
are picturesque if singular, and are OF
much interest to the foreigner, inas-
much as they present 81 quaint blending
Of Hindu, European, and Biblical OBJ
servances, the Hindu tint predominant
ing for obvious reasons. A good deal
has to be gone through before Cochi-
kara youth and maid can be welded.
The parents of the former having first
privately hit upon desirable girl, and
ascertained the success of their object,
visit the latter's parents, in company
with two mutual friends and elders; be-
tel is partaken Of and the mission re-
vealed. The day of the nuptials having
been fixed, the two fathers shake hands
over the compact and certain condi-
tions of the marriage are settled II
either party thereafter fail in their
promise, they are amerced in fine,
which goes to the church. The nature
of the streedanom, or dOwry, is also ar
ranged.
In due course the wedding comes off,
a Monday or Wednesday being chosen
as suspicious. A week previous friends
are visited and cordially invited to at
tend the ceremony and partake Of "a
chew of betel'' On the Saturday pre-
ceding the wedding the bride elect is
bathed at well by her elders, while
has elders perform on the groom the
important ceremony of channen chertal.
He is gravely deposited in chair and
wrapped up in a new cloth. In front
of him lighted brass lamp is suspend
ed. An old barber comes and shaves
the youth, and receives for the work
the cloth worn by the bridegroom, and,
in addition, a measure of rice, stuff, and
little coin (panom, equal to 5d.). Hav-
ing done with the barber, the groom,
with beat of tom-tom and cymbals, is
conducted to the wellside, where his
father and the elders. of the community
anoint him with oil and give him a CO.
pious bath. A gold chain is then thrown
round his neck, and he is brought home,
where a grand dinner is served. The
next day-Sunday-the plighted lovers
preform their religious duties in church.
On the wedding-day the groom and
his friends start first for church, with
tom toms, playingi seanopied under
large silk professional umbrella, and
accompanied by bearers of large fans.
The ceremonial in, church is really pc
culiar The priest. having asked the
contracting parties If they consent to
wed one another and having been at
firmatively answered, turns to the Wit
nesses and bids them bear in mind what
they have heard. The groom next ties
tall "a little gold pendanD round his
brides neck, and thus the twain are
made one. The string whereby the tall
is suspended is made out of seven fla
ments taken from the veil worn by the
bride The tall can only be removed
after the death Of husband or wife.
Should husband break his wife's tall
string during her lifetime it is tanta-
mount to a charge Of infidelity. But, IN
parenthesis, it should be stated that
Cochikar women make very faithful
wives and hold their virtue dear.