The Kunbis permit the remarriage of widows, with the exception of the
Deshmukh families of the Tirole subcaste who have forbidden it. If a
woman's husband dies she returns to her father's house and he arranges
her second marriage, which is called _choli-patal,_ or giving her new
clothes. He takes a price for her which may vary from twenty-five
to five hundred rupees according to the age and attractions of the
woman. A widow may marry any one outside the family of her deceased
husband, but she may not marry his younger brother. This union,
which among the Hindustani castes is looked upon as most suitable
if not obligatory, is strictly forbidden among the Maratha castes,
the reason assigned being that a wife stands in the position of a
mother to her husband's younger brothers. The contrast is curious. The
ceremony of widow-marriage is largely governed by the idea of escaping
or placating the wrath of the first husband's ghost, and also of its
being something to be ashamed of and contrary to orthodox Hinduism. It
always takes place in the dark fortnight of the month and always at
night. Sometimes no women are present, and if any do attend they must
be widows, as it would be the worst of omens for a married woman or
unmarried girl to witness the ceremony. This, it is thought, would
lead to her shortly becoming a widow herself. The bridegroom goes to
the widow's house with his male friends and two wooden seats are set
side by side. On one of these a betel-nut is placed which represents
the deceased husband of the widow. The new bridegroom advances with
a small wooden sword, touches the nut with its tip, and then kicks it
off the seat with his right toe. The barber picks up the nut and burns
it. This is supposed to lay the deceased husband's spirit and prevent
his interference with the new union. The bridegroom then takes the seat
from which the nut has been displaced and the woman sits on the other
side to his left. He puts a necklace of beads round her neck and the
couple leave the house in a stealthy fashion and go to the husband's
village. It is considered unlucky to see them as they go away because
the second husband is regarded in the light of a robber. Sometimes
they stop by a stream on the way home, and, taking off the woman's
clothes and bangles, bury them by the side of the stream. An exorcist
may also be called in, who will confine the late husband's spirit in
a horn by putting in some grains of wheat, and after sealing up the
horn deposit it with the clothes. When a widower or widow marries a
second time and is afterwards attacked by illness, it is ascribed to
the illwill of their former partner's spirit. The metal image of the
first husband or wife is then made and worn as an amulet on the arm or
round the neck. A bachelor who wishes to marry a widow must first go
through a mock ceremony with an _akra_ or swallow-wort plant, as the
widow-marriage is not considered a real one, and it is inauspicious for
any one to die without having been properly married once. A similar
ceremony must be gone through when a man is married for the third
time, as it is held that if he marries a woman for the third time he
will quickly die. The _akra_ or swallow-wort (_Calotropis gigantea_)
is a very common plant growing on waste land with mauve or purple
flowers. When cut or broken a copious milky juice exudes from the
stem, and in some places parents are said to poison children whom
they do not desire to keep alive by rubbing this on their lips.