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 hand

on

some word in the

Koran

which

may serve the purpose, or by getting some body else to fix his hand at random on a passage or word in the Koran. Men and women assemble at that meeting. There ap pears to be no purdah whatsoever in Dardu land, and the women are remarkably chaste. The little imitation of purdah amongst the Ranis of Ghilgit was a mere fashion imported from else where.

11

THE DARDS.

JANUARY 5, 1872.]

Till the child receives a name the

woman is declared impure for the seven days previous to the ceremony. In Ghilgit twenty seven days are allowed to elapse till the woman is declared pure. Then thebed and clothes are washed and the woman is restored to the company of her husband and the visits of her friends.

Men and women eat together everywhere in Dardu land. In Astor, raw milk alone cannot be

drunk together with a woman, unless thereby it is

hi, (10 annas each), to the bride's father, who, however, generally returns it with the bride, in kind—dresses, ornaments, &c., &c. The 12tolas

are not always, or even generally taken in gold, but oftener inkind—clothes, provisions and orna ments. At Astor the ceremony seems to be a little more complicated. There the arrangements are managed by third parties, an agent being appointed on either side. The father of the young man sends a present of a needle and three

real (red) “mings” called “ lijum” in Chilási, which, if accepted, establishes the betrothal of the parties. Then the father of the bride de

mands pro formá 12 tolas, which in Astor and Chilās are worth 24 Rupees of the value of ten annas each.

All real Shin people must pay this dowry for their wives in money, provisions, or in the clothes which the bride's father may require,

intended that she should be a sister by faith, and

The marriage takes place when the girl reaches

come within the prohibited degrees of relationship. When men drink of the same raw milk they there by swear each other eternal friendship. In

puberty, or perhaps rather the age when she is considered fit to be married. It may be mentioned here in general terms that those features in the ceremony which remind one of Indian customs are undoubtedly of Indian origin, introduced into the country since the occupation of Astor by the Maharaja's troops. Ghilgit, which is further off, is less sub ject to such influences, and whatever it may have of civilization is indigenous, or more so than is the case at Astor, the roughness of whose manners is truly Chilási, whilst its apparent re finement in some things is a foreign importation. When the marriage ceremony commences the

Ghilgit this custom does not exist, but it will at once be perceived that much of what has been

noted above belongs to Musalman custom ge nerally. When a son is born great rejoicings take place, and in Ghilgit a musket is fired off

by the father whilst the “bäng” is being read. (d.)—MARRIAGE.

In Ghilgit marriage appears to be amore simple ceremony than in Chilás and Astor. The father of the boy goes to the father of the girl and pre sents him with a knife about 1% foot long, 4 yards of cloth, and a pumpkin filled with wine. If the father accepts the present the betrothal is arranged. It is generally the fashion that after

the betrothal, which is named Shdir qatar wiye, balli piye, i.e. “4 yards of cloth and a knife he has given, the pumpkin he has drunk,” the marriage takes place. A betrothal is inviolable, and is only dissolved by death as far as the

woman is concerned. The young man is at liberty to dissolve the contract. When the marriage day arrives, the men and women who are

acquainted with the parties range themselves in rows at the house of the bride, the bridegroom, with her at his left, sitting together at the end

of the row. The Mulla then reads the prayers, the ceremony is completed, and playing, dancing and drinking begin. It is considered the proper thing for the bridegroom's father, if he belongs to the true Shin race, to pay 12 tolas of gold of the value [at Ghilgit] of 15 Rupees Nanaksha

young man, accompanied by twelve of his friends and by musicians, sits in front of the girl's house, The mother of the girl brings out bread and ghi-cakes on plates, which she places before the bridegroom, round whom she goes three times caressing him and finally kissing his hand. The bridegroom then sends her back with a present of a few rupees or tolas in the emptied plates. Then, after some time, as the evening draws on, the agent of the father of the boy sends to say that it is time that the ceremony should com mence.

The mother of the bride then stands in

the door-way of her house with afew other plate fuls of cakes and bread, and the young man. accompanied by his bridesman (“Shunérr” in Astori and “Shamaderr” in Ghilgiti,) enters the house. At his approach the girl, who also has her particular friend, the “Shaneroy” in Astori, and “Shamaderoy” in Ghilgiti, rises. The boy is seated at her right, but both in Astor