first placed under a puntel, a kind of bower, covered with leaves, in
front of the house. This is superbly adorned. The married women then
come forward, and perform the ceremony called _arati_, which is as
follows. Upon a plate of copper, they place a lamp made of a paste from
rice flour. It is supplied with oil, and lighted. They then take hold of
the plate with both hands, and raise it as high as the heads of the
couple to be married, and describe a number of circles with the plate
and lamp. This is to prevent the evil of any jealous looks, which
certain persons might make. The Hindoos believe that great evils arise
from wicked looks. They consider that even the gods themselves are not
out of the reach of malicious eyes; and therefore after they have been
carried through the streets, the ceremony of arati is always performed,
to efface the evil which they may have suffered from these looks.

It ought to have been mentioned, that before any thing is done, they
place an image of Pullian under the puntel. This god is much honored
because he is much feared. And although the great ugliness of his
appearance has hitherto kept him without a wife, they never fail to pay
him the greatest attention, lest he should in some way or other injure
them.

After arati and many other ceremonies are performed, the kankanan, which
is merely a bit of saffron, is tied to the right wrist of the young
man, and to the left wrist of the girl. This is done with great
solemnity. Another remarkable ceremony succeeds this. The young man
being seated with his face towards the east, his future father-in-law
supposes that he beholds in him the great Vrishnoo. With this
impression, he offers him a sacrifice, and then, making him put both of
his feet in a new dish filled with cow-dung, he first washes them with
water, then with milk, and again with water, accompanying the whole with