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Ahoms Marriage
In the case of Ahoms, no marriage is allowed within the same
clan. Many customs followed in an Ahom wedding are common to all Assamese
communities. The joron ceremony, daiyan and gathiyan are same as others.
The system of Saklang, which means marriage, is the usually accepted norm
in Ahom society. A good girl is pointed out and the boy's people
go to ask for her hand with the 'Sodhanibhar', consisting of betel nuts
and leaves, rice, ducks, etc. If nothing objectionable in the boy's family
is found, a day is fixed for the girl's people to come and see how the
boy's family lives. Then a date for wedding is fixed.
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Wedding ceremony :
The bridegroom sits in the courtyard;
the bride is brought in
and she walks seven times round the bride groom. She then sits down by his side. After this
both rise and proceed to a room screened off from the guests. Here one
end of the cloth is tied round the neck of the bride, the other being fastened
to the bridegroom's waist. They walk to a corner, where nine vessels, full
of water have been placed on plantain leaves, the Siring phukam (or master of the
ceremonies) reads from the 'Saklang puthi'; and three cups containing milk, honey and
rice frumenty are produced, which the bride and the bride groom have to smell.
After the bride and the bride groom
have exchanged knives, some uncooked
rice is brought in a basket, into which, rings are plunged by the bride and the bridegroom,
respectively, unknown
to each other - it being the intention that each should discover the
other's
ring and wear it on the finger. The exchange of knives and rings is the binding
part of the ceremony. Bride and bridegroom are then taken outside and do sewa (homages) to the bride's parents
and the people assembled, and the marriage is complete.
Two days before the wedding, the priest goes to a river or
tank to perform pujas to God Khoakham offering rice, eggs, betel
nuts and betel leaves. He then " fishes" with a jokai, a bamboo
fishing implement, in the water three times. If any fish is caught, it
will be cooked and given to the boy and the girl to eat. This is meant
for protection against any untoward happening. The day before the wedding
the deoban ceremony is performed to worship various Ahom gods. The priest
gives words of advice to the newly-weds from the Ahom holy books
on the rights and duties of married life. The past history of seven generation
of the two families is recounted to them. After this, the couple is taken
inside the bride's house and the customs of exchange of rings, taking
of panchamrita, playing games of dice or cowries are gone through.
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Rabhas Marriage
Amongst the Rabhas, both widow-remarriage and divorce are allowed
with sufficient liberty, Pan Phala or the system of tearing a betel-leaf
is observed by them as a mark of separation. The Rabhas have the custom
of paying bride-money. Even today children assume the name of their mother's
clan; on the other hand, the father's properties are inherited by his
sons; in all religious functions, the father is the head. Marriage within
the same clan is not allowed.
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Mikirs Marriage
Amongst the Mikirs, no marriage is allowed within the same
clan. The Miri marriage system is generally like that of other Hindus
including the joron ceremony and marriage by elopement. A man having illicit
love with an unmarried girl will be punished by the Gaon-burha (village
headman); if the man is already married, the punishment will be heavier.
A man cannot discard his wife without justifiable reasons. Mikir social
life in general is largely free. The proposal for marriage is first discussed
between the girl and her elder brother's wife. Then follows the formal
proposal with Sodhani bhar, as among the Ahoms. After that the question
whether the boy will stay with his father-in-law as ghar-jowain is decided
and a date for the wedding is fixed.
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Lalungs Marriage
Amongst the Lalungs some customs followed by them stress the
important position of women in society. Lalung religious rites that concern
women are conducted by women priests. A Lalung girl who remain unmarried
or a woman whose husband lives at her father's house inherits a share
of the paternal property. In the latter case, the bridegroom loses his
right to his own father's property. The Lalungs have embraced Hinduism
and their marriage custom are generally same as those of other Hindus,
but there is no Homa. Marriage within the same clan is not allowed.
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