betrothal is arranged some ornaments
and a cloth bearing the _swastik_ or lucky mark are sent to the
girl. Marriages are always celebrated during the months of Magh
and Phagun, and they are held only once in five or six years,
when all children whose matches can be arranged for are married
off. This custom is economical, as it saves expenditure on marriage
feasts. Colonel Dalton also states that the Agharias always employ
Hindustani Brahmans for their ceremonies, and as very few of these
are available, they make circuits over large areas, and conduct all
the weddings of a locality at the same period. Before the marriage a
kid is sacrificed at the bride's house to celebrate the removal of her
status of maidenhood. When the bridegroom arrives at the bride's house
he touches with his dagger the string of mango-leaves suspended from
the marriage-shed and presents a rupee and a hundred betel-leaves
to the bride's _sawasin_ or attendant. Next day the bridegroom's
father sends a present of a bracelet and seven small earthen cups to
the bride. She is seated in the open, and seven women hold the cups
over her head one above the other. Water is then poured from above
from one cup into the other, each being filled in turn and the whole
finally falling on the bride's head. This probably symbolises the
fertilising action of rain. The bride is then bathed and carried
in a basket seven times round the marriage-post, after which she
is seated in a chair and seven women place their heads together
round her while a male relative winds a thread seven times round
the heads of the women. The meaning of this ceremony is obscure. The
bridegroom makes his appearance alone and is seated with the bride,
both being dressed in clothes coloured yellow with turmeric. The
bridegroom's party follows, and the feet of the couple are washed
with milk. The bride's brother embraces the bridegroom and changes
cloths with him. Water is poured over the hands of the couple,
the girl's forehead is daubed with vermilion, and a red silk cloth
is presented to her and the couple go round the marriage-post. The
bride is taken for four days to the husband's house and then returns,
and is again sent with the usual _gauna_ ceremony, when she is fit
for conjugal relations. No price is usually paid for the bride, and
each party spends about Rs. 100 on the marriage ceremony. Polygamy
and widow marriage are generally allowed, the widow being disposed
of by her parents. The