Page:Malabari, Behramji M. - Gujarat and the Gujaratis (1882).djvu/295

Rh bangles or rings on her arms—both arms are literally covered by these ponderous articles. The palms of her hands, and the nails, the Márwáran dyes red, and the lips and teeth black! Her swathing petticoat she wears so far down as her ancle, and below she has ornaments, silver and brass, or both. The Márwáran is more parsimonious than her lord, and though she is constrained to take some cheap offering to the gods once or twice in the year, she does not scruple to bring part of it back, thus cheating deity itself! The Márwáran is a rare phenomenon in Native society. She is purchased by the husband at a fearful cost. The Márwári does not marry till late in life. He comes to Hindustan, or the Deccan, only with his dhoti and his loti. After ten years or so, he goes home to see his mother. As long as a relative is alive, the Márwári does not care for a wife. But when he has accumulated "a sum," and when he sees he is waxing old, he invests a good fat slice of his fortune in a wife. But she is a luxury in the buying only. As soon as that is over, the husband never repents him of the bargain. For, whatever