Marriage within the sept is prohibited and for three generations
between persons related through females. Marriage is adult, but matches
are arranged by the parents of the parties. At betrothal the elders of
the caste must be regaled with _cheora_ or parched rice and liquor. A
bride-price of Rs. 10 is paid, but a suitor who cannot afford this may
do service to his father-in-law for one or two years in lieu of it. At
the wedding the bridegroom puts a copper ring on the bride's finger and
marks her forehead with vermilion. The couple walk seven times round
the sacred post, and seven little heaps of rice and pieces of turmeric
are arranged so that they may touch one of them with their big toes at
each round. The bride's mother and seven other women place some rice
in the skirts of their cloths and the bridegroom throws this over his
shoulder. After this he picks up the rice and distributes it to all
the women present, and the bride goes through the same ceremony. The
rice is no doubt an emblem of fertility, and its presentation to the
women may perhaps be expected to render them fertile.