Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 9, 1898.djvu/167

Rh the bridegroom, who makes his appearance clad in the gayest costume, and with his face full of smiles. He mounts his horse, and the procession is then duly formed. This is termed the "Janj."

Many of the village girls, prettily dressed, accompany the procession for some little distance, singing as they go little love-ditties suited to the occasion. The bards then take up the tune, playing on instruments and pipes, which are accompanied by a drum. This is continued until the procession nears the house of the bride, when the noise of the drum is increased, to give early notice of its approach. Upon this, there issue from the bride's house several of the girls of her neighbourhood, also gaily dressed, and they go a little way to greet the bridegroom, and return in the procession to the house, singing, like the others, little odes and poems in his praise.

Before he dismounts, these girls have some sport with him, and taking each of them a bough of a tree, proceed to excite the horse with them, in order to test the bridegroom's mettle, and find out if he is a good horseman or otherwise. When this little frolic of theirs is over, he dismounts, and proceeds with a few of the party to the door of the house. This he finds closed by a stout bar, held by the sweeper, or "Churrah," of the village, who demands his fee before the barrier is removed. This part of the ceremonies is called the "Horah," or stoppage. The bridegroom and his party now enter the house, and one of the bards of the bride's family offers him a cup of milk, of which he partakes a little, and gives the remainder to his best man, or "Saballah." The bard asks for his fee of seven rupees, but is contented with about one half that amount. Now the barber, or "Naie," brings in "Hulwah," a sort of sweet pudding, of which the bridegroom partakes sparingly, and he then hands the barber his fee. This asking and giving of fees in the bride's house is called the "Lâg."

The time has now arrived for all to take their seats for the