Turmeric and rice are ground into a paste (aipan). The woman smears her hand in this and applies it to the drum. This is known as thappa lagâna. A leaf of betel, a betel nut, and two pice are also placed on the drum, which are the perquisite of the owner. Five marks (tîka) are then made on the drum with vermilion, and the women form a procession and go into a field, led by the drummer playing away vigorously. The senior woman then worships Dharti Mâta or Mother Earth, and digs five spadesful of earth, which are brought home and placed in the courtyard. In the middle of the yard are placed an earthen pot full of water with its top covered with a mango leaf and an earthen lid. Near it is a ploughbeam (haris) and a green bamboo fixed in the earth. The earthen pot is known as kalsa. In the evening there is a feast known as matkora. It may be noticed here that there are in all five marriage feasts—the haldidhân and matkora already described and the byâh, marjâd and kankan or bidâi. From the commencement of the haldi ceremony up to the end of the marriage ceremonies the women sing songs both morning and evening. 15. The actual marriage always takes place at night. No Brâhman is called in, but the village Pandit is consulted as to the auspicious time, and he receives two pice for his trouble. For the marriage a square (chauk) is marked out in the courtyard with barley-flour, and the bride and bridegroom are seated within it, the bridegroom on a stool (pîrha) or on a mat made of leaves (patal). The service is done by some one in the caste who knows the ritual. He begins by the gotra uchchâra or recital of the names of the couple, their fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Then the marriage jar (kalsa) is worshipped, and an offering of butter, rice, and barley is made to the fire which is lighted close beside the jar, and a similar offering is made to a fire which is lighted in the oratory (deokuri) sacred to the household god. The bride’s father then gives her away to the bridegroom (kanyâdân). He accepts the gift and marks her forehead with a line of vermilion, which is the binding part of the ceremony. The ceremonies in the dola and charhaua marriage are practically identical. The only difference is that in the former the ceremony is performed at the house of the bridegroom; in the latter at that of the bride.