The marriage of persons belonging to the same sept and also that of
first cousins is prohibited, while a family will not, if they can
help it, marry a daughter into the sept from which a son has taken
a wife. The rule of exogamy is thus rather wide in its action, as
is often found to be the case among the lowest and most primitive
castes. At the betrothal the father of the girl produces a red cloth
folded up, and on this the boy's father lays a rupee. This is passed
round to five members of the caste who cry, 'So-and-so's daughter and
So-and-so's son, Har bolo (In the name of Vishnu).' This completes the
betrothal, the father of the boy giving three rupees for a feast to
the caste-fellows. A girl who is made pregnant by a man of the caste
or any higher caste may be disposed of in marriage as a widow, but if
the man is of a lower caste than the Koris she is finally expelled. The
lagan or paper fixing the date of the marriage is written by a Brahman
and must not be shown to the bridegroom in the interval, lest he should
grow as thin as the paper bearing his name. While he is being anointed
and rubbed with turmeric the bridegroom is wrapped in a black blanket,
and his bridal dress consists of a yellow shirt, pyjamas of red cloth,
and red shoes, while he carries in his hand a dagger, nut-cracker or
knife. As he leaves his house to proceed to the bride's village he
steps on two clay lamp-saucers, crushing them with his foot. When the
party arrives the fathers of the bride and bridegroom sit together with
a pot full of curds between them and give each other to drink from it
as a mark of amity. The binding portion of the marriage consists in
walking round the sacred pole and the other ceremonies customary in
the northern Districts are performed. The bride does not return with
her husband unless she is adult; otherwise the usual gauna ceremony is
held subsequently. When she arrives at her husband's house she makes
prints of her hands smeared with turmeric on the wall before entering
it for the first time. The remarriage of widows is freely permitted;
the second husband takes the widow to his house after sunset, and here
she is washed by the barber's wife and puts on glass bangles again,
and new jewellery and clothes, if any are provided. No married woman
may see her as she enters the house. The husband must give a feast to
the caste-fellows, or at least to the panchayat or committee. Divorce
is freely permitted on payment of a fine to the panchayat. When a man
takes a second wife a sot or silver image of the deceased first wife
is hung round her neck when she enters his house, and is worshipped
on ceremonial occasions.