fterwards removed, and tied round an iron ring with some
mango leaves, and this ring forms the _kankan_ which is tied to the
bridegroom's wrist, a similar one being worn by the bride. Before the
wedding the bride goes round to the houses of her friends, accompanied
by the women of her party singing songs, and by musicians. At each
house the mistress appears with her forehead and the parting of
her hair profusely smeared with vermilion. She rubs her forehead
against the bride's so as to colour it also with vermilion, which
is now considered the symbol of a long and happy married life. The
barber's wife applies red paint to the bride's feet, the gardener's
wife presents her with a garland of flowers, and the carpenter's
wife gives her a new wooden doll. She must also visit the potter's
and washerman's wives, whose benisons are essential; they give her a
new pot and a little rice respectively. When the bridegroom comes to
touch the marriage-shed with his dagger he is resisted by the bride's
sister, to whom he must give a rupee as a present. The binding portion
of the marriage consists in the couple walking seven times round the
marriage-post. At each turn the bridegroom seizes the bride's right
toe and with it upsets one of seven little cups of rice placed near
the marriage-post. This is probably a symbol of fertility. After
it they worship seven pairs of little wooden boxes smeared with
vermilion and called _singhora_ and _singhori_ as if they were male
and female. The bridegroom's father brings two little dough images
of Mahadeo and Parvati as the ideal married pair, and gives them to
the couple. The new husband applies vermilion to his wife's forehead,
and covers and uncovers her head seven times, to signify to her that,
having become a wife, she should henceforth be veiled when she goes
abroad. The bride's maid now washes her face, which probably requires
it, and the wedding is complete. The Daharias usually have a _guru_ or
spiritual preceptor, but husband and wife must not have the same one,
as in that case they would be in the anomalous position of brother and
sister, a _guru's_ disciples being looked upon as his children. The
Daharias were formerly warriors in the service of the Ratanpur kings,
and many families still possess an old sword which they worship on
the day of Dasahra. Their names usually end in Singh or Lal. They
are now engaged in cultivation, and many of them are proprietors of
villages, and tenants. S