[Marriage ceremonies.] 5. As an instance of a low caste Muhammadan wedding that of a Dafâli may be described. The betrothal is arranged by some friend of both parties. When both parties agree, on an auspicious day selected by the village Pandit the bride’s father takes to the house of the bridegroom a ring and handkerchief on her behalf. These are accepted, and the boy’s father announces to the assembled friends that the marriage will take place. On this the girl’s father pays two and-a-half annas, and the boy’s father five annas, and with this sugar is bought and served round, after being offered to God and the Prophet. Next morning the girl’s father returns home. Some time after the boy’s father pays a visit to the bride and makes her a present of bangles (chûri), a suit of clothes (tul kapra), a boddice (choli), and some sweets. After a meeting of the tribesmen the wedding day is fixed. Poor people, however, send the girl beforehand to her husband, and any ceremony they can afford to do is done at his house. On the day before the wedding is the ratjaga, when the women sit up all night and spend their time making sweet cakes (gulgula). These are offered next morning to God and the Prophet, and to the spirits of the ancestors of the family. They are then distributed among the guests. The bridegroom is bathed and dressed in a yellow coat (jâma), trousers, and a turban. A large chaplet (sehra) hangs down from head to knee. He rides to the bride’s house followed by his friends playing on the dafla. They halt under a tree near the village, and from there the boy’s father sends a present of bangles, clothes, curds, oil, and henna. Then they come to the girl’s house, where the service is read by some old man of the tribe who can read or repeat the words. Some sugar is put close by which is distributed among the guests, and the marriage feast, consisting of sugar, rice, and curds, is served. This is known as shakarâna, or “the sugar feast.” Next day the bride’s father gives presents to her barber, bangle-maker, water-woman, and the village watchman, and then starts for the place where the bridegroom’s party are staying, with a basket containing vessels, grain and anything else he can afford to give as the dowry of his daughter. He places these before the father of the bridegroom, and asks his forgiveness for not being able to give more. The bridegroom’s father says the same, and they exchange compliments. After this the dowry basket is passed round, and all the friends present contribute as far as their means will go. This is termed “the giving of the dowry” (jahez dilâna). The husband then takes his wife away, and when he returns home he entertains his clansmen on curds, sugar, and rice, and next day gives them a regular dinner of bread and meat.