The tribe have exogamous septs of the usual nature, but they have
forgotten the meaning of the names, and they cannot be explained. In
Bombay their family names are the same as the Maratha surnames, and the
writer of the Ahmadnagar Gazetteer [579] considers that some connection
exists between the two classes. A man must not marry a girl of his
own sept nor the daughter of his maternal uncle. Girls are usually
married at an early age. A Brahman is employed to conduct the marriage
ceremony, which takes place at sunset: a cloth is held between the
couple, and as the sun disappears it is removed and they join hands
amid the clapping of the assembled guests. Afterwards they march seven
times round a stone slab surrounded by four plough-yokes. Among the
Rewa Kantha Kolis the boy's father must not proceed on his journey
to find a bride for his son until on leaving his house he sees
a small bird called devi on his right hand; and consequently he
is sometimes kept waiting for weeks, or even for months. When the
betrothal is arranged the bridegroom and his father are invited to
a feast at the bride's house, and on leaving the father must stumble
over the threshold of the girl's door; without this omen no wedding
can prosper. [580]