When the girl becomes mature the Gauna or going-away ceremony is
performed. In Chhattisgarh before leaving her home the bride goes out
with her sister and worships a _palas_ tree. [97] Her sister waves
a lighted lamp seven times over it, and the bride goes seven times
round it in imitation of the marriage ceremony. At her husband's
house seven pictures of the family gods are drawn on a wall inside
the house and the bride worships these, placing a little sugar and
bread on the mouth of each and bowing before them. She is then seated
before the family god while an old woman brings a stone rolling-pin
[98] wrapped up in a piece of cloth, which is supposed to be a baby,
and the old woman imitates a baby crying. She puts the roller in
the bride's lap saying, 'Take this and give it milk.' The bride is
abashed and throws it aside. The old woman picks it up and shows
it to the assembled women saying, 'The bride has just had a baby,'
amid loud laughter. Then she gives the stone to the bridegroom who
also throws it aside. This ceremony is meant to induce fertility,
and it is supposed that by making believe that the bride has had a
baby she will quickly have one.