Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-25
THE BRIDAL NECKLET
Hindoo Girls Betrothed With a Thau
Instead of Ring.
ON the London Telegraph.

In many parts of India Hindoo girls are
welded, not with ring, but with a necklet
or thali. AT the wedding of the daughter
OF leading native at Moulmeip there were
present among the numerous guests a Hin
doc maiden and her lover whose suit had
not so far progressed to his satisfaction
While the wedding ceremony was in prog
ress the young man suddenly went I'D to
her, and, before any one suspected what his
object was, pulled out a thalf from his
pocket and quietly tied it round her neck
Of course there was hubbub and parental
lamentations over this episode, but SO great
is the veneration for the thali among Hin
docs that no one dared to remove it from
the neck of the astonished maiden. All
concerned, therefore, repaired to the Marri-
anime Temple, where the act was ratified
and the maid who went to the wedding of
her friend fancy free left the scene as the
legal wife of bold and successful husband
A correspondent writing to the Pioneer on
the general use of the thali says:
Il was the guest of Christian family of
position in South India which had so far
departed from the ordinary rule which pre-
vents women from appearing before stran-
gers that the mistress of the house had
deputed her young daughter-in-law to rep
resent her as hostess. The young lady was
profusely decked with jewelry some of
which was unique in its nature, and she
had not the slightest objection to its being
admired. At dinner I was suddenly struck
with the absence of the wedding ring from
her finger, and on my asking her the rea son
she shyly pointed to her neck. This seemed
somewhat strange, but thought that prob
ably for some reason she had attached the
ring to the chain she was wearing round
her neck | could. however, see no trace
of 1T, and felt somewhat puzzled till her
husband explained that no wedding ring is
used on the occasion of marriage, but for
1t is substituted the thal, to which my
hostess had drawn my attention.
Among the DravidianS of South India the
thali plays the same part as the wedding
ring among the Christians in other parts of
the world. No marriage can be solemnized
without it. 1t is small piece of gold leaf
in the shape of a cucumber seed which is
attached to a necklet of worsted thread or
silk. The BrahminS, who celebrate their
marriage according to Vedic rites, have
adopted it's use. and after the sacred fire is
prepared and worshiped with citations of
ghee, the blessings of the gods are invoked
and the thah is tied round the neck of the
bride by the bridegroom, and then the cou-
pie go round the sacred fire. The Mahom-
etan converts, like the Christians find it
hard to give up this little jewel, with it's
happy associations, and 1t may be seen
adjoining the neckS of their womankind
But, though the thah is an indication that
a girl is married, found, much to my sur
prise, that in some instances it did not nee
eSSarily imply that she was the wife of any
particular individual Within the precincts
of the temple once met an attractive look
ing woman, dressed very gracefully and
decently, and amid the rich jewelry with
which she was adorned the thah was dis
played somewhat obtrusively. 1 took her
to be the member of some highly respect
able family, but was surprised to learn that
she was a deva-dassi (handmaiden of the
god, and. was. in fact, a dancing girl at
tached to the temple. There is a special
caste of these women, who, as soon as thew
grow out of girlhood, are taken to the tenn
Pile and, with much ceremonial, formally
married to a sword or god the thaN being
tied round their neck by some man of the
caste. This class is sometimes recruited
from girls belonging to the Boyas, Bedau-
rus and certain other castles. who in the
absence of male issue, dedicate daughter
to some deity, who, they believe. will give
them sons.