Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 3.djvu/217

Rh stuffs are inlaid, as it were, in the pattern; and the effect, in combination with the petticoat, is extremely brilliant and pretty. Over all there is a scarf or sheet of finer cloth, dyed of some gay colour, generally red, yellow, or green, and ornamented with a border of the same description as the petticoat, as shown in the Photograph. This scarf is tucked in at the waist, and, passing over the head, falls gracefully behind, and to the right side. Brinjaree women rarely tie up their hair behind or braid it: they prefer it parted in front, to hang over the shoulders, while portions are fastened with silver and pewter ornaments, tied with bright crimson threads and tassels, to hang about the face. When the younger girls have glossy natural curls, which are frequently seen, these peculiar ornaments and tassels, intermixed with wild flowers, add much to the general effect of the head dress, while to the elder women they give a wild and weird appearance, by no means inconsistent with their bronzed and almost seared visages. There is no doubt, however, that the younger women of the Brinjarees are, in many cases, eminently and even remarkably handsome. They are never black, but have a rich, ruddy, dark Italian or Spanish colour; and their figures, aided by their picturesque dress, are superb. No one can look upon them without admiration of their spirited and very graceful carriage, and peculiar action in putting then- feet to the ground. No women in India have this light, high-stepping action, as it may be termed, of the Brinjarees, and few their grace and buoyancy of figure. They are inordinately fond of ornaments, which, like their costumes, are peculiar to themselves, and are all heirlooms in their families. The rich wear heavy gold and silver anklets, necklaces, and ear-rings. The poorer classes have these made of silver, if it can be afforded; if not, of brass and pewter. But in all cases the pattern and ornamentation is the same. Upon their arms, reaching from the wrist to the armpit, they wear rings and hoops of ivory or bone. Those at the wrist fit closely, while those above are often large and very loose; but they are so sized, that they do not fall over each other. It is difficult to understand, too, how the women work or walk with the heavy anklets, and brass rings above them; but these never appear to impede their action.

The gay costume of the women at ordinary times is much increased on occasions of festivals, or domestic rejoicings. At the Holi, the Dussera, the Junam Ashtmi, or birth of Krishna, &c., parties of young women go about, attended by a few matrons as chaperons, but never by men, and perform peculiar dances, singing at the same time songs of their own, in their ancient dialect, which many of them do not understand. The tunes of these songs are often spirited and original, but they have not at all the character of ordinary Indian music. The dances have set figures, some of considerable complexity, and all of them requiring no little grace and agile movement. For these occasions, the Brinjaree girls put on their newest and brightest clothes. The rich among them have not unfrequently silk and satin petticoats, and quilted satin bodices, with fine muslin scarves; but whatever material