Home Site Map Make Your Home Page Suggestions Enquiry Advertise With Us
 
Send Pictures


 Assam
Major City

The People

People | Customs


CUSTOMS & TRADITIONS - Introduction | Marriage - Marriage Ceremony, Child Marriage, Bodo Marriage, Ahoms Marriage, Rabhas Marriage, Mikirs Marriage, Lalungs Marriage | Birth - Khasi's Naming Ceremony, Bodo's Naming Ceremony | Death Rituals


Child  Marriage 

Child Marriage, to some extent, is still prevalent among the Brahmanas and Kayasthas, more particularly in the villages. Brahmanas perform the three ceremonious connected with a girls marriage at three stages: before the attainment of puberty, after puberty and when she attains motherhood. They do not allow widow-remarriage. In some Assamese villages, there is a custom in which a man called a Dhoka or Chapaniya goes to live with a widow as her husband. But he is very much looked down upon. On the other hand, a widower some times brings into his house a widow as his wife, who is known as a Batalu. On the night the widower comes to the widow's house, she places a bowl of fried cock-meat and a bowl of rice beer on the threshold of her bedroom and seats herself outside with a tiny lamp and a stick. The man goes round and round the house seven times mewing like a cat. After each round he approaches the door only to the driven off by the woman. After the seventh round she asks if it is her children's father (her dead husband) and he replies, yes. Then only can he enter the house, eat and drink, and after certain formalities become the master of the house. The Dhoka leaves his original home for good, discarding all rights to property. The Bodos generally provide a good safeguard to their widow's .

Top

Bodo Marriage

The socially accepted form of a Bodo marriage is more or less the same in all villages, though certain rites vary from clan to clan. On a auspicious day elders go to see the girl and study her character. If she is liked, they come back and leave a pair of silver bangles stuck in the ceiling  or a couple of wine bottles hanging by it. If these are not returned within the following week, consent of the girl's family is indicated. Before the wedding takes place boy goes to the girl's house to see and know each other. The girl gives him presents of handkerchiefs and napkins she herself had woven and bow before him. If she does not do this, it is understood that she does not like the boy. The Hinduised Bodos engage a priest to perform the ceremony, while others follow their own elaborate tribal customs. The Bodos do not like to marry into other communities. Sunday is the best day for a wedding. They follow certain marriage customs that seem to be peculiar to tribal society  in Assam. These are paying bride money, a son-in-law living with his father-in-law's family (ghar-jowain) and taboo on marriage within the same clan.

Top

[Back]

[Continued]


 


Quick Links - Webindia123.com
Services
Hobbies
 
Entertainment
Classifieds
Career / Education
UK, USA, Canada
Utilities
E-Booking
India Reference
 
IndianStates
Pradesh

Copyright 2000- Suni Systems (P) Ltd.
All rights reserved