Marriage within the _kul_ or family group is forbidden, as also the
union of first cousins. Girls are usually married young, and sometimes
infants of one or two months are given in wedlock, while contracts
of betrothal are made for unborn children if they should be of the
proper sex, the mother's womb being touched with _kunku_ or red powder
to seal the agreement. A small _dej_ or price is usually paid for the
bride, amounting to Rs. 5 with 240 lbs. of grain, and 8 seers of _ghi_
and oil. At the betrothal the Joshi or astrologer is consulted to see
whether the names of the couple make an auspicious conjunction. He asks
for the names of the bride and bridegroom, and if these are found to be
inimical another set of names is given, and the experiment is continued
until a union is obtained which is astrologically auspicious. In order
to provide for this contingency some Bhoyars give their children ten
or twelve names at birth. If all the names fail, the Joshi invents new
ones of his own, and in some way brings about the auspicious union
to the satisfaction of both parties, who consider it no business
of theirs to pry into the Joshi's calculations or to question his
methods. After the marriage-shed is erected the family god must be
invoked to be present at the ceremony. He is asked to come and take
his seat in an earthen pot containing a lighted wick, the pot being
supported on a toy chariot made of sticks. A thread is coiled round
the neck of the jar, and the Bhoyars then place it in the middle of
the house, confident that the god has entered it, and will ward off
all calamities during the marriage. This is performed by the _bhanwar_
ceremony, seven earthen pots being placed in a row, while the bride and
bridegroom walk round in a circle holding a basket with a lighted lamp
in it. As each circle is completed, one pot is removed. This always
takes place at night. The Dholewars do not perform the _bhanwar_
ceremony, and simply throw sacred rice on the couple, and this is
also done in Wardha. Sometimes the Bhoyars dispense with the presence
of the Brahman and merely get some rice and juari consecrated by
him beforehand, which they throw on the heads of the couple, and
thereupon consider the marriage complete. Weddings are generally
held in the bright fortnight of Baisakh (April-May), and sometimes
can be completed in a single day. Widow-marriage is allowed, but it
is considered that the widow should marry a widower and not a bachelor.