Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-25
THE BRIDAL NECKLET.
Hindoo Girls Are Betrothed With a
Thai Instead of a Ring.
From the London Telegraph.

From the London Telegraph.
In many parts of India Hindoo girls are
welded not with a ring, but with necklet,
or thali. At the wedding of the daughter
of a leading native at Moulmein 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 to her,
and. before anyone suspected what his OBJ
jeet was pulled out thali from his pocket
and quietly tied it round her neck Of
course. there was a hubbub and parental
lamentations over this dramatic episode,
but great is the veneration for the thau
among Hindoos that no one dared to re-
move it from the neck of the astonished
maiden. All concerned, therefore, repaired
to the Marianne 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 a bold and sue
cessful husband. A correspondent writing
to the Pioneer on the general of the
thali says:
81 was the guest of Christian family of
position in south India which had so far de-
parted from the ordinary rule which pre-
vents women from appearing before strans-
ers that the mistress of the house had de-
puted her young daughter-in-law to repre-
sent he as hostess. The young lady was
profusely decked with jewelry, some of
which was unique in it's nature, and she had
not the slightest objection to it's being ad-
mired. At dinner 1 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 | 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 it,
and felt somewhat puzzled till her husband
explained that no wedding ring is used on
the occasion of marriage, but for it is sub
Stituted the thali, to which my hostess had
drawn my attention
Among the Dravidians of south India the
thai 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 cucumber seed, which is
attached to 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 oblations of
ghee, the blessings of the gods are invoked,
and the thali is tied round the neck of the
bride by the bridegroom, and then the
couple go round the sacred fire. The Ma
hometan converts, like the Christians, find
it hard to give up the little jewel. with the
happy associations, and it may be seen
adjoining the necks of their womankind.
But, though the thali is an indication that
girl is married. l 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-Iook-
ing woman, dressed very gracefully and de-
Gently, and amid the rich jewelry with
which she was adorned the thaH was dis
played somewhat obtrusively I look her to
be the member of some highly respectable
family. but was surprised to learn that she
was deva-dassi (handmaiden of the god,
and was. in fact, dancing girl attached to
the temple. There is special 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 recruited from girls be-
longing to the Boyas, Bedaurus and certain
other castles. who. in the absence of male
issue, dedicate a daughter to some deity,
who they believe. will give them sons.