Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 2 of 7Thurston, Edgar
History
Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 2 of 7
Thurston, Edgar
Caste -- India, South; Ethnology -- India, South; India, South -- Social life and customs; Tribes -- India, South
An Eravallan who wishes to see his son married visits the parents
of a girl with his brother-in-law and a few relatives, who make
the proposal. If the parents agree, the wedding day is fixed, and
all the preliminary arrangements are made at the hut of the bride,
where the relatives assembled are treated to a dinner. The bride's
price is only a rupee. The parents of the bride and bridegroom visit
their respective landlords with a few packets of betel leaves, areca
nuts, and tobacco, and inform them of the marriage proposal. The
landlords give a few paras of paddy to defray a portion of the
wedding expenses. They celebrate their weddings on Mondays. On a
Monday previous to the wedding ceremony, the sister of the bridegroom,
with a few of her relations and friends, goes to the bride's hut, and
presents her parents with the bride's money, and a brass ring for the
bride. On the Monday chosen for the wedding, the same company, and a
few more, go there, and dress the girl in the new garment brought by
them. They are treated to a dinner as on the previous occasion. They
then return with the bride to the hut of the bridegroom, where also
the parties assembled are entertained. On the Monday after this,
the bridegroom and bride are taken to the bride's hut, where they
stay for a week, and then return to the bridegroom's hut. Marriage
is now formally over. The tali (marriage badge) tying is dispensed
with. This custom of marriage prevails among the Izhuvas of the
Chittur taluk. The bridegroom gets nothing as a present during the
wedding, but this is reserved for the Karkadaka Sankranthi, when he
is invited by his father-in-law, and given two veshtis and a turban,
after sumptuously feeding him. A widow can only marry a widower. It is
called Mundakettuka (marrying a widow). When they both have children,
the widower must make a solemn promise to his castemen that he will
treat and support the children by both marriages impartially. The
present of a brass ring and cloth is essential. A man can divorce
his wife, if he is not satisfied with her. The divorced wife can mate
only with a widower. Such cases, they say, are very rare among them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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