Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 9, 1898.djvu/161

Rh After the "Dhuâh Khyr" is pronounced, the betrothal is considered solemnly binding; and the parties, though they have not seen one another, are by the acts of their relatives brought thus into a mutual compact, by which they bind themselves to marry when the proper time shall come round. When this formality is over, and the parties have in so many words pledged their troth to one another through the negotiation of their relatives, they are permitted to see one another, but only at distant intervals of time, and are never to be seen together in public.

Should either of the Mohammedan festivals, or "Eedh," come round about this time, it is usual for the family of the youth to present to the girl a whole suit of clothes and a pair of shoes. At the same time she is given a stout rope, or cord, for the purpose of making a swing, or "Peegh." The girls of this part of the country are passionately fond of a swing, and adorn it very prettily. With these gifts there is also added a purse of twenty-one rupees. This presentation is made with a good deal of form, after an old-established practice, and is called in one district the "Thraiwar," in another the "Gudh," in another the "Dindh," and in another the "Pyr Gylah." It is customary out of the twenty-one rupees to give two to the near relatives of the girl, one to the village barber, or "Naie," who acts as a sort of messenger between the families, and one to the "Meerasie," or bard of the village, who is also the genealogist. The youth does not accompany the party which makes this presentation; but he goes to the house of the girl some days afterwards, though on this occasion it is arranged that he shall not see her, indeed she is purposely kept secluded. He is, however, met and received by a few of her girl-friends and relatives who oblige him to swing with them by turns, On this visit he brings with him some rings ("Challas"). These are made of silver or zinc, and even sometimes of brass or iron. He playfully puts them on the fingers of the girls, who are made very happy in consequence,