VIII.—An Account of the Marriage Ceremonies of the Hindus and Mahommedans, as practised in the Southern Peninsula of India

Abstract

Every man should use his utmost endeavours to have his daughter married before she is nine years of age; and when he shall have accomplished that object he will obtain his reward in the like manner as if he had performed a religious sacrifice. If from poverty, or any other unavoidable cause, he should be prevented from marrying his daughter sooner, he should not on any account postpone it after she arrives at the age of ten years, or else shame and disgrace will fall upon him. When a man is desirous of marrying his daughter, he first ascertains an auspicious day, on which he relates his intentions to his Brahmin and his barber, and giving them money and betel-leaves he deputes them in search of a youth, who must be three or four years older than his daughter, of a respectable family, and of the same caste with his own. He advises them to consult some learned astrologer as to the favourable marks, signs, and nativity of the youth, and to point out if possible a suitable husband for his daughter. When they shall have ascertained a proper person, and communicated to him the result of their search, he sends them with a letter to the youth's father, containing proposals for a marriage between their children; he instructs them to ask for a genealogical table of his and his wife's family, that he may ascertain whether they are of a proper rank and condition in life, or in anywise related to him, at the same time he sends a similar table of his own family. If the parties agree, these tables are laid before their respective relations, and if approved by them they express their satisfaction. They then make up balls composed of turmerick and orange juice, which they dry and scrape, and rub the dust over the tables; they return them in this state, as a mark of their approbation that the proposals are accepted, and that no relationship subsists to prevent the marriage.