As already stated, the Vidurs who are sprung from fathers of different
castes form subcastes marrying among themselves. Among the Brahman
Vidurs also, a social difference exists between the older members
of the caste who are descended from Vidurs for several generations,
and the new ones who are admitted into it as being the offspring of
Brahman fathers from recent illicit unions, the former considering
themselves to be superior and avoiding intermarriage with the latter
as far as possible. The Brahman Vidurs, to whom this article chiefly
relates, have exogamous sections of different kinds, the names being
eponymous, territorial, titular and totemistic. Among the names of
their sections are Indurkar from Indore; Chaurikar, a whisk-maker;
Acharya and Pande, a priest; Menjokhe, a measurer of wax; Mine,
a fish; Dudhmande, one who makes wheaten cakes with milk; Goihe, a
lizard; Wadabhat, a ball of pulse and cooked rice; Diwale, bankrupt;
and Joshi, an astrologer. The Brahman Vidurs have the same sect groups
as the Maratha Brahmans, according to the Veda which they especially
revere. Marriage is forbidden within the section and in that of the
paternal and maternal uncles and aunts. In Chanda, when a boy of one
section marries a girl of another, all subsequent alliances between
members of the two sections must follow the same course, and a girl
of the first section must not marry a boy of the second. This rule
is probably in imitation of that by which their caste is formed,
that is from the union of a man of higher with a woman of lower
caste. As already stated, the reverse form of connection is considered
most disgraceful by the Hindus, and children born of it could not
be Vidurs. On the same analogy they probably object to taking both
husbands and wives from the same section. Marriage is usually infant,
and a second wife is taken only if the first be barren or if she is
sickly or quarrelsome. As a rule, no price is paid either for the
bride or bridegroom. Vidurs have the same marriage ceremony as Maratha
Brahmans, except that Puranic instead of Vedic _mantras_ or texts
are repeated at the service. As among the lower castes the father of
a boy seeks for a bride for his son, while with Brahmans it is the
girl's father who makes the proposal. When the bridegroom arrives he
is conducted to the inner room of the bride's house; Mr. Tucker states
that this is known as the _Gaurighar_ because it contains the shrine of
Gauri or Parvati, wife of Mahadeo; and here he is received by the bride
who has been occupied in worshipping the goddess. A curtain is held
between them and coloured rice is thrown over them and distributed,
and they then proceed to the marriage-shed, where an earthen mound or
platform, known as Bohala, has been erected. They first sit on this
on two stools and then fire is kindled on the platform and they walk
five times round it. The Bohala is thus a fire altar. The expenses of
marriage amount for the bridegroom's family to Rs. 300 on an average,
and for the bride's to a little more. Widows are allowed to remarry,
but the second union must not take place with any member of the family
of the late husband, whose property remains with his children or,
failing them, with his family. In the marriage of a widow the common
_pat_ ceremony of the Maratha Districts is used. A price is commonly
paid to the parents of a widow by her second husband. Divorce is
allowed on the instance of the husband by a written agreement, and
divorced women may marry again by the _pat_ ceremony. In Chanda it
is stated that when a widower marries again a silver or golden image
is made of the first wife and being placed with the household gods
is daily worshipped by the second wife.