th the
groom are to be fed and entertained in right regal style. It is this
feeding and entertaining the guests that makes a daughter's marriage so
costly in India, to a certain extent.

If the bride and the bridegroom live in the same town or village then
the bridegroom's party goes to the bride's house in the evening, the
marriage is performed at night and they all come away the same night or
early the next morning. If, however, the places of residence of the
bride and the bridegroom are say 500 miles apart as is generally the
case, the bridegroom with his party goes a day or two earlier and stays
a day or two after the marriage. The bride's people have to find
accommodation, food and entertainment for the whole period, which in the
case of rich people extends over a week.

Now I had the pleasure of joining such a bridal party as mentioned last,
going to Benares.

We were about thirty young men, besides a number of elderly people.

Since the young men could not be merry in the presence of their elders
the bride's father, who was a very rich man, had made arrangements to
put up the thirty of us in a separate house.

This house was within a few yards of the famed haunted house.

We reached Benares at about ten in the morning and it was about three in
the afternoon that we were informed that the celebrated haunted house
was close by. Naturally some of us decided that we should occupy that
house rather than the one in which we were. I myself was not very keen
on shifting but a few others were. Our host protested but we insisted,
and so the host had to give way.

The house was empty and the owner was a local gentleman, a resident of
Benares.

To procure his permission and the key was the work of a few minutes and
we took actual possession of the house at about six in the evening. It
was a very large house with big rooms and halls (rather poorly
furnished) but some furniture was brought in from the house which we had
occupied on our arrival.

There was a very big and well-ventilated hall and in this we decided to
sleep. Carpet upon carpet was piled on the floor and there we decided to
sleep (on the ground) in right Oriental style. Lamps were brought and
the house was lighted up.

At about 9 P.M. our dinner was announced. The Oriental dinner is
conducted as follows:--

The guests all sit on the floor and a big plate of metal (say 20" in
diameter) is placed in front of each guest. Then the service commences
and