own as the _Gaurighar_ because it contains the shrine of
Gauri or Parvati, wife of Mahadeo; and here he is received by the bride
who has been occupied in worshipping the goddess. A curtain is held
between them and coloured rice is thrown over them and distributed,
and they then proceed to the marriage-shed, where an earthen mound or
platform, known as Bohala, has been erected. They first sit on this
on two stools and then fire is kindled on the platform and they walk
five times round it. The Bohala is thus a fire altar. The expenses of
marriage amount for the bridegroom's family to Rs. 300 on an average,
and for the bride's to a little more. Widows are allowed to remarry,
but the second union must not take place with any member of the family
of the late husband, whose property remains with his children or,
failing them, with his family. In the marriage of a widow the common
_pat_ ceremony of the Maratha Districts is used. A price is commonly
paid to the parents of a widow by her second husband. Divorce is
allowed on the instance of the husband by a written agreement, and
divorced women may marry again by the _pat_ ceremony. In Chanda it
is stated that when a widower marries again a silver or golden image
is made of the first wife and being placed with the household gods
is daily worshipped by the second wife.

6. Social rules and occupation

The Vidurs employ Maratha Brahmans for religious and ceremonial
purposes, while their _gurus_ are either Brahmans or Bairagis. They
have two names, one for ceremonial and the other for ordinary use. When
a child is to be named it is placed in a cradle and parties of women
sit on opposite sides of it. One of the women takes the child in her
arms and passes it across the cradle to another saying, 'Take the
child named Ramchandra' or whatever it may be. The other woman passes
the child back using the same phrase, and it is then placed in the
cradle and rocked, and boiled wheat and gram are distributed to the
party. The Vidurs burn the dead, and during the period of mourning
the well-to-do employ a Brahman to read the Garud Puran to them,
which tells how a sinner is punished in the next world and a virtuous
man is rewarded. This, it is said, occupies their minds and prevents
them from feeling their bereavement. They will take food only from
Maratha Brahmans and water from Rajputs and Kunbis. Brahmans will,
as a rule, not take anything from a Vidur's hand, but some of them
have b