During the absence of the wedding party the women of the bridegroom's
house with others in the village sing songs at night in the
marriage-shed constructed at his house. These are known as Dindwa, a
term applied to a man who has no wife, whether widower or bachelor. As
they sing, the women dance in two lines with their arms interlaced,
clapping their hands as they move backwards and forwards. The songs are
of a lewd character, treating of intrigues in love mingled with abuse
of their relatives and of other men who may be watching the proceedings
by stealth. No offence is taken on such occasions, whatever may be
said. In Upper India, Mr. Jeorakhan Lal states such songs are sung
at the time of the marriage and are called _Naktoureki louk_ or the
ceremony of the useless or shameless ones, because women, however shy
and modest, become at this time as bold and shameless as men are at the
Holi festival. The following are a few lines from one of these songs:
The wheat-cake is below and the urad-cake is above. Do you see
my brother's brother-in-law watching the dance in the narrow
lane. [532]
A sweetmeat is placed on the wheat-cake; a handsome young
black-guard has climbed on to the top of the wall to see the dance.
When a woman sees a man from afar he looks beautiful and
attractive: but when he comes near she sees that he is not worth
the trouble.
I went to the market and came back with my salt. Oh, I looked
more at you than at my husband who is wedded to me.