Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-06
THE HINDoO BRIDE
HlNDoo GIRLS IN MANY PARTS OF
INDIA Welded WITH A NECK
LET OR THALI.
Simple Act by Which Lovers are Unit
ed In Marriage - Thai Used In
stead of Wedding Ring - Found In
the Temples.

VIC temples.
In many parts of India Hindoo girls
are welded not with ring as is the
custom in many countries, but with a
necklet or "thali." At the wedding of
daughter of leading native at Moul-
mein there were present among the nu-
merous guests Hindoo maiden and
her lover. whose suit had not so far
progressed to his satisfaction.
While the wedding ceremony was in
progress the young man suddenly went
up to her and before any one suspect
ed what his object was, suddenly pull
ed out thali from his pocket and
quietly TIED it around her neck. OF
course there was a hubbub, and par
entail lamentations over this episode,
but so great is the veneration for the
thali among Hindoos that no one dar-
ed to remove it from the neck of the
astonished maiden. All concerned,
therefore. repaired to the Marianne
temple. where the act was ratified and
the maiden who went to the wedding
Of her fancy free, left the scene as the
legal wife Of bold and successful
husband
General Use of Thai.
A correspondent writing on the gen
eral use Of the thali says:
Il was a guest Of a Christian fami-
ly Of position In South India, which
had SO far departed from the ordinary
rule which prevents women from APP
pearing before strangers that the mis-
tress of the house had deputed her
younger daughter-in-iaw to represent
her as hostess. The young lady was
profusely decorated with jewelry, some
of which was unique in Its nature and
she had not the slightest objection to
Its being admired. At dinner | was
suddenly struck with the absence Of
the wedding ring from her finger and
on my asking her the reason she shyly
pointed to her neck.
This seemed somewhat strange, but
I thought that probably for some rea-
son she had attached the ring to the
chain she was wearing around her
neck. could however, see no trace
Of 1t, and felt somewhat puzzled till
her husband explained that no we'd
marriage but for it is substituted the
my attention.
Used Instead Of Wedding Ring.
Among the Dravidians Of South In
u.a, the thali plays the same part as
the wedding ring among the Christians
in other parts Of the world. No mar
rage can be solemnized without it..
1t is small piece of gold leaf in the
shape of a cucumber seed, which is at
tached to a necklet of worsted thread
on silk. The Brahmins, who celebrat-
ed their marriage according to Vedic
| rites, have adopted It's use, and after
the sacred fire is prepared and wor-
shipped with oblation of ghee. the
blessings of the gods are invoked and
the thali is tied around the neck Of
the bride by the bridegroom, and then
the couple go round the sacred fire.
The Mahometan converts, like the
Christians, find It hard to give up this
little jewel, with its happy associa-
tions, and it may be seen adjoining the
necks of their womankind.
'nfe Found in Temples.
But, though the thHli is an indica.
ton that a girl is married, found,
much to my surprise, that in some in
stances it did not necessarily imply
! that she was the wife of any particu-
lar individual. Within the precincts
of the temple once met an attractive
looking woman, dressed very graceful.
ly and decently, and amid the rich
jewelry with which she was adorned
the thali was displayed somewhat OBJ
trusively. | took her to be member
Of some highly respectable family, but
was surprised to learn that she was a.
deva-dassi (hand-maiden Of the god)
and was, in fact. dancing girl at
tached to the temple. There is a spe.
cial caste of these women, who. as
soon as they grow out of girlhood, are
taken to the temple and, with much
ceremonial formally married to a
sword or god, the thali being tied
round their neck by some man OF the
caste. This class Is sometimes re-.
cruited from girls belonging to the
Royas, Bebaurus, and certain other
castles. who, In the absence Of male as.
sociates, dedicate daughter to some
deity, who, they believe, will give
them sons.