The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-02
THE BRIDAL NECKLET.
Hindoo Girls Betrothed With Thai
Instead of Ring.


In many parts of India Hindoo girls
are welded not with a ring, but with
a necklet, or thali. At the wedding of
the daughter of leading native at
Mou1mein there were present among
the numerous guests a 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, pulled out a
thaH 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 maid
en-. All concerned. therefore, repaired
to the Marianne temple. where the
act was ratified, and the maid who
went to the wedding of her friend
rancy free left the scene as the legal
wife of a bold and successful husband.
correspondent writing to the Pioneer
on the general use of the thali says:
Il was the guest of a Christian family
OF position in South India which had so
far departed from the ordinary rule
which prevents women from appearing
before strangers that the mistress of the
house had deputed her young daughter
1l-IaW 10 represent 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 din
ner l was suddenly struck with the alb
sence 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 l thought
that probably for some reason she had
attached the ring to the chain she was
wearing round her neck. l could how
ever, see no trace of it, and felt some
what puzzled till her husband explained
that no wedding ring is used on the
occasion ca hr1f fcF.
substituted the thali, to which my
hostess had drawn my attention
Among the Dravidians of South India
the than plays the same part as the
wedding ring among the Christians in
other parts of the world No marriage
can be solemnized without it. It is a
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 maria pe
according to Vedic rites, have adopted
its use, and after the sacred fire is pre-
pared and worshipped with oblafions of
ghee, the blessings of the gods are in
voked and the thali is tied round the
neck of the bride by the bridegroom
and then the couple go round the sacred
fire.
The Mahometan converts. like the Chris
tians, find it hard to give up this little
| jewel with its happy associations, and
their womankind. But, though the tbalf Is
an indication that a girl is married.
iodlu Hlucn 10 my surprise. that in some
! instances it did not necessarily frnnl1J
that she was the wife of any particular
Individual Within the precincts of the
| temple I once met an attractive looking
woman, dressed very gracefully and de-
Gently, 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 re-
spectacle family, but was surprised to
learn that she was deva-dassf (hand-
| maiden of the god, and was. in fact, 4
dancing girl attached to the temple
There Is special caste of these women
| who, as soon as they grow out of girl
much ceremonial. formally married to a
sword or a god, the thali being tied round
their neck by some man of the caste.
girls belonging to the Boyas. Bedaurus
and certain other castles, who, in the alb
| sence OF male issue, dedicate a daughter
to some deity, who, they believe, will
give them sons--The London Telegraph.