in the same manner as when invested with the sacred shirt
and cord. The bridegroom wears a long white robe reaching to his
ankles and a white sash round his waist; he has a garland of flowers
round his neck, a red mark on his forehead, and carries a bunch of
flowers and a cocoanut in his right hand. At every street corner
on his way to the bride's home a cocoanut is waved round his head,
broken and thrown away. He sets his right foot in the house first,
and as he enters rice and water are thrown under his feet and an egg
and cocoanut are broken. At the wedding the couple throw rice on each
other, and it is supposed that whoever is quickest in throwing the
rice will rule the other. They are then seated side by side, and two
priests stand before them with a witness on each side, holding brass
plates full of rice. The two priests pronounce the marriage blessing in
old Persian and Sanskrit, at each sentence throwing rice on the bride's
and bridegroom's heads. At intervals in the midst of the blessing the
bridegroom and bride are asked in Persian, 'Have you chosen her?' and
'Have you chosen him?' They answer in Persian, or if they are too
young their mothers answer for them, 'I have chosen.' [364]

12. Religion. Worship of fire.

The religious ritual of the Parsis consists of the worship of fire. The
fire temples are of a single storey and contain three rooms. On
reaching the outer hall the worshipper washes his face, hands and
feet, and recites a prayer. Then, carrying a piece of sandalwood and
some money for the officiating priest, he passes to the inner hall,
in which a carpet is spread. He takes off his shoes and rings one of
four brass bells hanging at the corners of the room. The priest also
rings one of these bells at each watch when he performs worship. He
then proceeds to the threshold of the central fire-room, kneels there,
and again standing begins to recite prayers. None may enter the
fire-room except the priests. Here the fire is kept always blazing
in a silver or copper urn on a solid stone pedestal, and is fed day
and night with sandal and other commoner woods. A priest is always
present, dressed in long white robes, his hands covered with white
cloths and his face veiled. The worshipper lays down his offering of
sandalwood at the entrance, and the priest takes it up with a pair
of tongs, and gives him some ashes from the urn in a silver or brass
ladle. These the worshipper rubs on his forehead and eye