Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-16
At A HINDU WEDDING
Ceremony in High Life in
Bombay.
TRADITION PRESERVED
SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS
OF THE RACE OBSERVED.
Nautch Dancers at the Home Of the
Groom-Procession to the Brides
Home-A Tedious Spectacle.
BY WIN. E. CURTIS.


Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
BOMBAY, January II, 1904.
Through the good offices of VIM. T. Fee of
Warren, Ohio. the United States consul at
Bombay, we received invitations to Hindu
wedding in high life The groom is young
widoWer, a merchant of wealth and wide
commercial connections. graduate of Ell
phinstone College, speaks EnShsh huently,
and is a favorite with The iore-gn colony. The
bride is the daughter of WIDOW whose late
husband was similarly situated, partner in
rich mercantile and comm. ssion house, we'll
known and respected in financial circles
The family are liberal in their views, and
the daughter has been educated at one of
the American mission schools, although
they still adhere to Hinduism, their ances
trail religion. The groom's family are equal
ly liberal. but, like many prominent families
of educated natives, do not have the moral
courage or the disposition to renounce the
faith in which they were born.
The inha bitantS of India are the most
conservative of all people, and while an edu-
Gated and progressive Hindu viii tell you
freely that he does not believe in the gods
and superstitons OF his fathers, and will
denounce the Branmans as a lot of frauds,
respect for public opinion will not permit
him to make an open declaration of his loss
OF faith. These Two families are examples,
and when their sons and daughters are mar
ried, or when they die, observe all the social
and religious customs of their race and
preserve the traditions Unbroken.
At the Groom's Home.
The home of The bridegroom's family is an
immense wooden house in the native quar-
ter, and when we reached it we had to pass
through a crowd of coolies that filed the
rtl,a
gayly decorated with bunting and Japanese
lanterns, all ready to be lit as soon as the
sun went down. A native band was playing
doleful music N one of the courts, and a
brass band of twenty pieces in military
uniforms from the barracks was waiting
it's turn. A long hallway which led to a
large drawing room in the rear of the house
was spread with scarlet mating, the walls
were hung with gay prints, and japanese
lanterns were suspended from the ceiling at
intervals of three or four feet. The first
room was filled with women and children
eating ices and sweetmeats. Men guests
were not allowed to enter. 1t was then 80,
and We were told that they had been enjoy
ing themselves in that innocent way since
noon, and would remain until late in the
evening, for it was the only share they
could have in the wedding ceremonies. be-
cause Hindu women and men cannot mingle
even on such occasions.
The men folks were in the drawing
room, seated in rows of chairs facing each
other, with an aisle four or five feet wide
in the center There were all sorts and
conditions of men, for the groom has a
wide acquaintance and intimate friends
among Mohammedans, Parsees, Roman
Catholics, Protestants, jams and all the
many other religions in Bombay, and of
course he invited them to his marriage
Several foreign ladies were given seats in
the place of honor at the head of the
room around n large gilt chair or throne
which stood in the center with a wreath of
flowers carelessly thrown over the back.
There were tive American missionaries and
their wives, Jesuit priest and several
English women.
Pretty soon after we were seated there
was stir on the outside and the groom
came in arrayed in the whitest of white !
linen robes, turban of white and gold
silk an exquisitely embroidered cashmere
shawl thrown over his shoulders, and a
string of enormous diamonds around his
neck that were worth a rajah's ransom. |
Upon his hands were worn several hand
some rings, including one great emerald
set in diamonds, so big that you could see 1t !
across the room. Around his neck was a |
garland of yellow flowers that fell to his
waist and he carried a big bridal bouquet /!
N his hand.
The Nautch Dancers.
AS soon as he was seated a group of |
nautch dancers, accompanied by a native |
orchestra, appeared and performed one of |
their melancholy dances. The matches
may be very wicked. but they certainly are |
not attractive in appearance. Their dances |
Are very much like an exercise in the Del
;arte method of elocution, being done with |
he arms more than with the legs, and con-
;isting of slew, graceful gesticulations such |
,sxf,A ha