Page:Castes and Tribes of Southern India.djvu/400

 that he is giving his daughter to him. He places the hand of the bride on that of the bridegroom, and both he and the bride's mother pour water over the united hands of the contracting couple. The following slōka is repeated: — "I am giving you a virgin decorated with jewels, to enable me to obtain religious merit." The bridegroom takes the bride by the hand, and both take their seats in front of the sacred fire. This part of the ceremonial is called dhāre (pouring of water). Much importance is attached to it by Tulu Brāhmans. Among Non- Brāhman castes in South Canara, it forms the binding portion of the marriage ceremony. After the pouring of ghī as an oblation, the bridegroom throws down a few twigs of dharbha grass, and repeats the formula: — "Oh! dharbha, thou art capable of giving royal powers, and the teacher's seat. May I not be separated from thee." Then the bride's father, giving a vessel of water, says "Here is Arghya water." The bridegroom receives it with the formula: — " May this water destroy my enemies. May brilliancy, energy, strength, life, renown, glory, splendour, and power dwell in me." Once again the bride's father washes the feet of the bridegroom, who salutes his father-in-law, saying "Oh! water, unite me with fame, splendour, and milk. Make me beloved by all creatures, the lord of cattle. May fame, heroism, and energy dwell in me." The bride's father pours some water from a vessel over the hand of the bridegroom, who says "To the ocean I send you, the imperishable waters; go back to your source. May I not suffer loss in my offspring. May my sap not be shed." A mixture of honey, plantain fruit, and ghī, is given to the bridegroom by the bride's father with the words " Ayam Madhuparko" (honey mixture). Receiving it, the bridegroom mutters the