At the commencement of a marriage or other ceremonial feast the host
must wash the feet of all the guests himself. If he does not do this
they will be dissatisfied, and, though they will eat at his house,
will consider they have not been properly welcomed. He takes a large
brass plate and placing the feet of his guest on it, pours water
over them and then rubs and dries them; the water is thrown away
and fresh water poured out for the next guest unless they should be
brothers. Little flat stools about three inches high are provided for
the guests, and if there are not enough of them a carpet is spread;
or _baithkis_ or sitting-mats plaited from five or six large leaves
are set out. These serve as a mark of attention, as it would be
discourteous to make a man sit on the ground, and they also prevent
the body-cloth from getting wet. The guests sit in the _chauk_ or
yard of the house inside, or in the _angan_ or outside yard, either
in lines or in a circle; members of the same caste sit with their
crossed knees actually touching those of the man on either side of
them to emphasise their brotherhood; if a man sat even a few inches
apart from his fellows people would say he was out of caste--and
this is how a man who is put out of caste actually does sit. Before
each guest may be set two plates of leaves and eight _donas_ or
leaf-cups. On the plates are heaped rice, cakes of wheat fried in
butter, and of husked urad pulse cooked with tilli or sesamum oil,
and the pulse of gram and lentils. In the cups will be sugar, _ghi_,
_dahi_ or curded milk, various vegetables, pumpkins, and _besin_ or
ground gram cooked with buttermilk. All the male members of the host's
family serve the food and they take it round, heaping and pouring it
into each man's plates or cups until he says enough; and they continue
to give further helpings as required. All the food is served at once
in the different plates and cups, but owing to the number of guests
a considerable time elapses before all are fully served, and the
dinner lasts about two hours. The guests eat all the different dishes
together with their fingers, taking a little of each according to their
fancy. Each man has his _lota_ or vessel of water by him and drinks
as he eats. When the meal is finished large brass plates are brought
in, one being given to about ten guests, and they wash their hands
over these, pouring water on them from their vessels. A fresh carpet
is then spread in the yard and the guests sit on it, and betel-leaf
and tobacco are distributed. The huqqa is passed round, and _chilams_
and _chongis_ (clay pipe-bowls and leaf-pipes) are provided for those
who want them. The women do not appear at the feast but stay inside,
sitting in the _angan_ or inner court, which is behind the _purda_.