Marriage within the same sept is prohibited and also between the
children of brothers and sisters. A man may not marry his wife's elder
sister but he can take her younger one in her lifetime. Marriage is
usually adult and, contrary to the Hindu rule, the proposal for a
match always comes from the boy's father, as a man would think it
undignified to try and find a husband for his daughter. The Kawar
says, 'Shall my daughter leap over the wall to get a husband.' In
consequence of this girls not infrequently remain unmarried until a
comparatively late age, especially in the zamindari families where
the provision of a husband of suitable rank may be difficult. Having
selected a bride for his son the boy's father sends some friends to
her village, and they address a friend of the girl's family, saying,
"So-and-so (giving his name and village) would like to have a cup
of pej (boiled rice-water) from you; what do you say?" The proposal
is communicated to the girl's family, and if they approve of it
they commence preparing the rice-water, which is partaken of by the
parties and their friends. If the bride's people do not begin cooking
the pej, it is understood that the proposal is rejected. The ceremony
of betrothal comes next, when the boy's party go to the girl's house
with a present of bangles, clothes, and fried cakes of rice and urad
carried by a Kaurai Rawat. They also take with them the bride-price,
known as Suk, which is made up of cash, husked or unhusked rice,
pulses and oil. It is a fixed amount, but differs for each subcaste,
and the average value is about Rs. 25. To this is added three or four
goats to be consumed at the wedding. If a widower marries a girl,
a larger bride-price is exacted. The wedding follows, and in many
respects conforms to the ordinary Hindu ritual, but Brahmans are not
employed. The bridegroom's party is accompanied by tomtom-players
on its way to the wedding, and as each village is approached plenty
of noise is made, so that the residents may come out and admire the
dresses, a great part of whose merit consists in their antiquity,
while the wearer delights in recounting to any who will listen the
history of his garb and of his distinguished ancestors who have worn
it. The marriage is performed by walking round the sacred pole, six
times on one day and once on the following day. After the marriage the
bride's parents wash the feet of the couple in milk, and then drink
it in atonement for the sin committed in bringing their daughter into
the world. The couple then return home to the bridegroom's house,
where all the ceremonies are repeated, as it is said that otherwise
his courtyard would remain unmarried. On the following day the couple
go and bathe in a tank, where each throws five pots full of water over
the other. And on their return the bridegroom shoots arrows at seven
straw images of deer over his wife's shoulder, and after each shot
she puts a little sugar in his mouth. This is a common ceremony among
the forest tribes, and symbolises the idea that the man will support
himself and his wife by hunting. On the fourth day the bride returns to
her father's house. She visits her husband for two or three months in
the following month of Asarh (June-July), but again goes home to play
what is known as 'The game of Gauri,' Gauri being the name of Siva's
consort. The young men and girls of the village assemble round her in
the evening, and the girls sing songs while the men play on drums. An
obscene representation of Gauri is made, and some of them pretend to
be possessed by the deity, while the men beat the girls with ropes
of grass. After she has enjoyed this amusement with her mates for
some three months, the bride finally goes to her husband's house.