A HINDOO WEDDING IN HIGH CASTE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2763, 31 January 1882, Page 2

A HINDOO WEDDING IN HIGH CASTE.

The “Times of India’’ gives the following interesting account of a wedding in Bania, which took place on December 1: —

The marriage of the daughter of a well-known Bania citizen, Mr Goculdas Jugmohundas, is now being celebrated with much ceremonial at the Madhev Bag. On Sunday 400 leading members of the caste were entertained at dinner. On Monday evening a nautch party was given, at which several European ladies and; gentlemen were present as well as many natives. On Tuesday 3000 caste men were feasted at a banquet, and on Wednesday afternoon the principal marriage ceremonies were performed in the presence of a very large body of native gentlemen of all castes and a considerable sprinkling of English ladies and gentlemen. Much trouble was taken by members of the host’s family to explain the meaning of the different ceremonies, as they proceeded, to the English ladies present, who were very gallantlj invited to sit well in front of tbo other guests. The scene was strikingly picturesque when the deepening twilight allowed the brilliantly illuminated gardens to be seen in their full beauty. The ceremony itself was preformed in a low marquee, surrounded, and indeed half-covered, with huge-leaved plants, which considerably added to the effect _ of the artificial decorations., Processions of women and childred arrived and dis-

appeared at stated iuteavals. They were dressed in the most brilliant silks | of every possible variety of shade and colour; and as they formed a background to the circle, or as they slowly advanced and closed in in a semicircle, chanting an air, now monotonous, now shrill, to the accompaniment of very weird music, it was impossible to help thinking of some magnificent scene at the Grand Opera or Covent Garden. The white robes of the guests, the rich shawl turbans worn for the occasion by the men chiefly concerned, the halfveiled faces, flushing eyes, and raanyhued sarries of the women, the heavy carpets below, the brilliant lamps and dark green foliage above, the alterna tions of light and shadow, and the perpetual movement combined to make such a gorgeous picture of eastern life. as has never been put on canvas. The ceremonials were conducted according to the old ritual ascertained by the shastras after careful study. The bridegroom, Mr Nurrotumdas Ramjee, a piece-goods merchant, came in procession at half-past five, and was conducted over a long carpet through two rows of guests to the bride’s mother by her father. Shortly afterwards the bride, carefully veiled, was brought in by her ladies, and placed opposite her future husband on the carpet, a curtain being held between the pair during the whole ceremony. Their feet were washed with water and milk. They eat pan sooparee together. They were united by a mystic copd. They responded to the family priests, just as at an English wedding, but here every one of those in irnino diate attendance had some particular part to play. After this portion of the ceremony the happy couple were taken into one of the bungalows and refreshed, having fasted all day. At 10 the rites began again. The marriage fire, which had been burning ever since the festivi-' ties commenced, was kindled on the ground between them, and fed with ghee. They walked round earthen pots and exchanged the usual vows. At midnight the bride was taken to her house, but immediately brought away again, and this ceremony is, we are told repeated for three nights before ■ she is left there for good,. The bridegroom, who is a mill-owner and mill-agent, as well as a merchant, is a gentleman of wealth and position, and the bride, instead of being a child, as is common in Hindoo marriages, is a young lady of 14 years of age, who looked . very pretty in her brilliant costume, and as was only natural to the occasion very shy and timid. It is long since any Hindoo marriage has been performed with such rigid attention to ceremonial, and we hope Mr Goculdas Jugmohundas will carry out bis intention of publishing a full account of the rites as they are revived for this occasion.