Some Bahnas have exogamous sections with Hindu names, while others
are without these, and simply regulate their marriages by rules of
relationship. They have the primitive Hindu custom of allowing a
sister's son to marry a brother's daughter, but not _vice versa_. A
man cannot marry his wife's younger sister during her lifetime, nor
her elder sister at any time. Children of the same foster-mother are
also not allowed to marry. Their marriages are performed by a Kazi
with an imitation of the Nikah rite. The bridegroom's party sit under
the marriage-shed, and the bride with the women of her party inside
the house. The Kazi selects two men, one from the bride's party, who
is known as the Nikahi Bap or 'Marriage Father,' and the other from
the bridegroom's, who is called the Gowah or 'Witness.' These two
men go to the bride and ask her whether she accepts the bridegroom,
whose name is stated, for her husband. She answers in the affirmative,
and mentions the amount of the dowry which she is to receive. The
bridegroom, who has hitherto had a veil (_mukhna_) over his face, now
takes it off, and the men go to him and ask him whether he accepts the
bride. He replies that he does, and agrees to pay the dowry demanded
by her. The Kazi reads some texts and the guests are given a meal
of rice and sugar. Many of the preliminaries to a Hindu marriage
are performed by the more backward members of the caste, and until
recently they erected a sacred post in the marriage-shed, but now
they merely hang the green branch of a mango tree to the roof. The
minimum amount of the _mehar_ or dowry is said to be Rs. 125, but it
is paid to the girl's parents as a bride-price and not to herself,
as among the Muhammadans. A widow is expected, but not obliged, to
marry her deceased husband's younger brother. Divorce is permitted
by means of a written deed known as 'Farkhati.'