Marriage is always infant. A Brahman purohit officiates. Each purohit has a number of houses attached to his circle, and his sons usually divide the circle among themselves on partition, like any other property. Polygamy is permitted, but only if the first wife produces no offspring. The taking of a second wife is assented to by the first wife, who, in some cases, believes that, as the result of the second marriage, she herself will beget children. Two forms of marriage ceremonial are recognised, one called puranoktha, according to long established custom, and the other called vedoktha, which follows the Vedic ritual of Brahmans. In Madras, on the first day of a marriage, the contracting couple have an oil bath, and the bridegroom goes through the upanayana (sacred thread investiture) ceremony. He then pretends to go off to Kasi (Benares), and is met by the bride's party, who take him to the bride's house, where the mangalyam is tied by the bridegroom before the homam (sacrificial fire). On the second day, homam is continued, and a caste dinner is given. On the third day, the gotra puja is performed. On the fourth day, homam is repeated, and, on the following day, the pair are seated on a swing, and rocked to and fro. Presents, called katnam, are made to the bridegroom, but no voli (bride-price) is paid. In the mofussil, [145] where the puranoktha form of ceremonial is more common, ancestors are invoked on the first day. On the second day, the ashtavarga is observed, and the bride and bridegroom worship eight of the principal gods of the Hindu Pantheon. On this day, the pandal (marriage booth) is erected. On the third day, the mangalyam is tied, sometimes by the officiating Brahman purohit, and sometimes by the bridegroom. On the fourth day, the Brahmans of the place are honoured, and, on the following day, in most places, a festival is held in honour of the goddess Kanyaka Parameswari. The bride and bridegroom's mothers go to a tank (pond) or river with copper vessels, and bring back water at the head of a procession. The vessels are placed in a special pandal, and worshipped with flowers, anilin and turmeric powders. Finally, cocoanuts are broken before them. On the next day, or on the same day if the marriage ceremonies conclude thereon, the festival in honour of the Balanagaram boys, or those who helped the Komatis of Penugonda in their trouble with Vishnu Vardhana, is held. Five boys and girls are bathed, decked with jewelry, and taken in procession to the local temple, whence they are conducted to the bride's house, where they are fed. On the following day, the ceremony called thotlu puja is performed. A doll is placed in a cradle connected with two poles, and rocked to and fro. The bridegroom gives the doll into the hands of the bride, saying that he has to go on a commercial trip. The bride hands it back to him, with the remark that she has to attend to her kitchen work. On the following day, the bridal couple are taken