erings, and return bringing the bridegroom with them. As
he arrives at the marriage pavilion he touches it with a stick, on
which the bride's brother who is seated above the shed pours down
some water and is given a present of money by the bridegroom. The
bridegroom's feet are then washed by his father-in-law and he is
given a yellow cloth which he wears. The couple are made to stand on
two wooden planks opposite each other with a curtain between them,
the bridegroom facing east and the bride west, holding some Akshata
or rice covered with saffron in their hands. As the sun sets the
officiating Brahman gets on to the roof of the house and repeats the
marriage texts from there. At his signal the couple throw the rice over
each other, the curtain between them is withdrawn, and they change
their seats. The assembled party applaud and the marriage proper is
over. The Brahman marks their foreheads with rice and turmeric and
presses them together. He then seats them on the earthen platform
or _baola_, and ties their clothes together, this being known as the
Brahma Ganthi or Brahman's knot. The wedding usually takes place on the
day after the arrival of the marriage procession and another two days
are consumed in feasting and worshipping the deities. When the bride
and bridegroom return home after the wedding one of the party waves a
pot of water round their heads and throws it away at a little distance
on the ground, and after this some grain in the same manner. This is
a provision of food and drink to any evil spirits who may be hovering
round the couple, so that they may stop to consume it and refrain
from entering the house. The expenses of the bride's family may vary
from Rs. 60 to Rs. 100 and those of the bridegroom's from Rs. 160 to
Rs. 600. A wedding carried out on a lavish scale by a well-to-do man
is known as Lal Biah or a red marriage, but when the parties are poor
the expenses are curtailed and it is then called Safed Biah or a white
marriage. In this case the bridegroom's mother does not accompany the
wedding procession and the proceedings last only two days. The bride
goes back with the wedding procession for a few days to her husband's
house and then returns home. When she arrives at maturity her parents
give a feast to the caste and send her to her husband's house, this
occasion being known as Bolvan (the calling). The Karwa Kunbis of
Nimar have a peculiar rule for the celebration of marriages. They
have a _guru