Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 5 of 7Thurston, Edgar
History
Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 5 of 7
Thurston, Edgar
Caste -- India, South; Ethnology -- India, South; India, South -- Social life and customs; Tribes -- India, South
Girls are married after puberty according to one of two forms of rite,
called kodi-udukkal (tying the cloth) and vittil-kudal. The former
is resorted to by the more prosperous members of the community, and
lasts over two days. On the first day, the bridegroom goes to the home
of the bride, accompanied by his relations and friends, and sweets,
betel leaves and areca nuts, etc., are given to them. They then
take their departure, and return later in the day, accompanied by
musicians, in procession. At the entrance to the bride's house they
stand while someone calls out the names of the eleven Arayans of the
caste, who, if they are present, come forward without a body-cloth
or coat. Betel leaves and areca nuts are presented to the Arayans or
their representatives, and afterwards to the Rajyakkar, or chief men
of the village. The bridegroom then goes inside, conducted by two men
belonging to the septs of the contracting parties, to the bride's
room. The bridegroom sits down to a meal with nine or eleven young
men in a line, or in the same room. On the second day, the bride is
brought to the pandal. Two persons are selected as representatives
of the bridegroom and bride, and the representative of the former
gives thirty-nine vellis to the representative of the latter. Some
sweetened water is given to the bridegroom's relations. A woman
who has been married according to the kodi-udukkal rite ties a
new cloth round the waist of the bride, after asking her if she is
willing to marry the bridegroom, and obtaining the consent of those
assembled. Sometimes a necklace, composed of twenty-one gold coins,
is also tied on the bride's neck. At night, the bridal couple take
their departure for the home of the bridegroom. In South Canara,
the ceremonial is spread over three days, and varies from the above
in some points of detail. The bridegroom goes in procession to the
bride's house, accompanied by a Sangayi or Munan (best or third man)
belonging to a sept other than that of the bridal couple. The bride
is seated in a room, with a lamp and a tray containing betel leaves,
areca nuts, and flowers. The Sangayi takes a female cloth in which
some money is tied, and throws it on a rope within the room. On the
third day, the bride puts on this cloth, and, seated within the pandal,
receives presents.
The vittil-kudal marriage rite is completed in a single day. The
bridegroom comes to the home of the bride, and goes into her room,
conducted thither by two men belonging to the septs of the contracting
couple. The newly-married couple may not leave the bride's house
until the seventh day after the marriage ceremony, and the wife is
not obliged to live at her husband's house.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account