, which
is merely a bit of saffron, is tied to the right wrist of the young
man, and to the left wrist of the girl. This is done with great
solemnity. Another remarkable ceremony succeeds this. The young man
being seated with his face towards the east, his future father-in-law
supposes that he beholds in him the great Vrishnoo. With this
impression, he offers him a sacrifice, and then, making him put both of
his feet in a new dish filled with cow-dung, he first washes them with
water, then with milk, and again with water, accompanying the whole with
suitable muntrums or prayers.

After many other ceremonies, he takes the hand of his daughter and puts
it into that of his son-in-law. He then pours water over them in honor
of Vrishnoo. This is the most solemn of all the ceremonies, being the
token of his resigning his daughter to the authority of the young man.
She must be accompanied with three gifts, namely, one or more cows, some
property in land, and a _salagrama_, which consists of some little
amulet stones in high esteem among the Brahmins. This ceremony being
finished, the tahly is brought to be fastened to the neck of the bride.
This, as I before said, is presented on a salver, decked and garnished
with sweet-smelling flowers. Incense is offered to it, and it is
presented to the assistants each of whom touches it and invokes
blessings upon it. The bride then turning towards the East, the
bridegroom takes the tahly, repeats a muntrum or prayer aloud, and ties
it around her neck.

Fire is then brought in, upon which the bridegroom offers up the
sacrifice of _homam_, which consists of throwing boiled rice with melted
butter upon the fire. He then takes his bride by the hand, and they walk
three times around it, while the incense is blazing.

There is another ceremony, which, perhaps, ought to be mentioned, as it
is considered by some to be one of much importance. Two baskets of
bamboo are placed close together, one for the bride, the other for the
bridegroom. They step into them, and two other baskets being brought,
filled with ground rice, the husband takes up one with both hands and
pours the contents over the head of the bride. She does the same to him.
In the marriage of great princes pearls are sometimes used instead of
rice.

On the evening of the third day, when the constellations appear, the
astrologer points out to the married pair a very small star, close to
the middle or in the tail of _Ursa Major_, wh