English
It is a wedding custom among Pandits, when the bride is taken to the house of the bridegroom, to place her in a lower room, while the bridegroom is in the upper room of the house. After a little time the sacred fire is kindled in the upper room before the bridegroom, and appointed portions from the holy books are repeated. Mean- while the bride is brought to the upper room by her mother's brother. Arrived in the room he sits behind her and is her " best man," as it were ; he sees that she is thoroughly concealed, gives to her the appointed meats and drinks at the stated times, and leads her around the sacred fire. Great friendship exists between this uncle and the bride, but intense enmity between her and her father's brothers' sons. These two are constantly quarrelling concerning property and position, &o. Makdrinih nah gukush taJi mgi phirih mukush. At the time of the wedding the bride had not a straw, but ten days afterwards, when she returned to her husband's house her face was covered with jewellery. 131 MuJcush is a preparation of gold and silver leaves, Ac, which aro plastered over the bride's face (ton days after the wedding, when sho returns to her husband's house) making it look much like a model in tarnished silver. This is a MohammediEm custom. Mahdrinih nah wdnkahpan tah voiffi phirih Idnkaran. At the time of marriage the bride had not even her hair plaited, but ten days afterwards, when she returns to her husband^s house, she wears a lankaran. Ldnkaran (Persian, UcUyat ; Sanskrit, illanilcara,) a jewel or woman's metallic ornament. Ton days after the wedding the bride rotoms to her husband's house splendidly dressed, richly jewelled, and with abondanoe of furniture and provisions, &o, Mai tih ati tah mai-hhdnah tih ati. Wine is here and wine-shop is also here. Bvery thing at hand. Mdj hardn " huri^ hurt** ; Icur hartin ** renih^ renth** The mother cries, '* daughter, daughter" ; the daughter cries, ^* husband, husband." Mdj harin ** thurihy shurih " ; thur mah karin " mdj^ mAj," Let the mother say ** child, child " ; but let not the child say '* mother, mother." An orphan. Miij tah hur, tjtahar tah iur, A mother and daughter are like the handle and stick of a spinning-wheel, (necessary to one another ;— and work to- gether). *' Mdjt fjah thawum hdngar phukit, buh yimai wustas doh ihukit:* ** O mother, blow the kangar and set it for me ; and I will come after my work with the teacher.*' " Light the kangar for me, I will bo back again presently," refer- ring to the short time one is able to work during the dark winter months. Workmen come, just lay a few bricks, Ac., and go again. Wutstah, a teacher, hero means a master blacksmith, or bricklayer^ or carpenter. 132 *' Mdj wuhawan clihum nali harih." " Watih pefh beh tdJi ddh zani wuhawanai.'^ *' Mother, nobody curses me." Sit by the way-side (my son), and ten men will curse thee." They who live in public must expect to " rough it." Mdji hadeyih thdji tih hadeyih. When the mother becomes great, the pot, also, becomes great. The expenses of a family. Mojih Icar dandah-tuj tah sliwi Tchyav grtsah Jchur. The mother used a tooth-pick only, but the child ate a bundle of grass. A mother's utter unselfishness. Mdjih hliutah hurui bad. The daughter is bigger than her mother. Case greater than the original quarrel. Wages above the work. Mdjih lekf benih lek, Jcorih lek ; tah holayih nah lek. Abuse my mother, my sister, my daughter ; but do not abuse my wife. A Pathan saying. Pathans are especially particular concerning their wives. Mdjih nah lacha'kah tah sitdras ffildph. The mother hasn't a lachakah, but the guitar has its wrapper. Cited against the man who has hardly means sufficient to keep body and soul together, and yet buys books and other dispensable articles. Lachakah is the piece of woollen cloth that hangs down on the neck from the back of the head of a Muhammedan woman. Majnunas parutshuh zih kheldfat kahanz chheh, Dupnaky *^ Lailih hinz.'^ It was asked of Majnun " Whom do you like V He replied, " Lain." Anybody or anything a man is especially fond of, is called that man's "Laili." Laili iiajnun — a famous Persian love story translated into Kash- miri by a poet called Muhammad Gami. Mdkir tah hdldr garin tah pharinj lejih nah bazin tshurui wih ! A garrulous, sharp, unconscientious and malicious woman, no oil in the pot, — only pride ! A woman who flatters herself that she is as good as her rich neighbour. 133 Malckah melih magar ndkhah melih nah. Mecca shall be found but not your neighbour. Neighbours are constantly going to law about ground, fto. Mulfitnah yd aulddfitnah. Either trouble about one's money or trouble about one's children. If a man has money then he has not children ; and If he has chil- dren then he has not money, because the children have swallowed it all up ; in either case, however, man has trouble in this world. Mdl matt tah hdl matt sandih khutah chhui nangah matt be-panoA, A naked man has less care than a man of wealth or a man of position. Much coin, much care } little goods, little care. Mdl'i-^nu/t tah dil-i-be-rahtn. Property by gift and a heart withont mercy. Mdl wuchhit zagdt. Seeing (your) property give alms. Give according to your ability. Zagdt (Arabic, Zakdtj) a portion of a Mohammedan's property given in charity according to the roles laid down in the Qnrin, of. " Hughes' Notes pn Mnhammedanism,** pp. 125-126. The Kashmiris have a story ooncenung one Tiskahman Dar, an officer of the Kashmir government. He was one day eating poUv when a jester was present to whom he gave a little portion. The jester disgusted with the meagre meal, and in order to make those present laugh, stuck a grain of rice upon a needle, and laying it out- side his platter said, *' H6ni mit" . e., the dog's portion. On noticing t his done in such a ludicrous fashion all the people laughed, includ- ing Lakshman Dar also. ** Why are you soch a fool ?" they asked i whereupon the jester replied, " According to TAkshman Dar'p gift I have given {Mdl vyuchhit Mogdt). Hunt mit, lit., the dog's handful. Hind6s before touching their food take out two or three handfuls, as the case may be, and lay it on one side for the dogs to eat. The real idea of the custom, however, is an offering to Yishnii. Mdlas chhuh mol. Price according to property. Good article, good pricu. 134 Mdli Wetsdr-ndgah tah Bahwano, yas nah peyih ddnas pewino tas hyah ehhuh pdnas rewano ! 0 fathers Vetsar-nag and Bawan, what a sight ! He who cannot afford to have a fire in his house, yet adorns himself for the festival. Hindus address their sacred places as fathers, because throngh them they think they obtain all blessings. Vetsdr-ndg is a sacred spring about three miles from Srinagar towards the north on the Gangabal road. Bawan also is a sacred spring — the most sacred in the whole valley. Near to the village called after this spring are the famous ruins of Mdrtand or Mattan Great religious fairs are held at both of these places at certain seasons of the year, and it is the custom of the Hindii people to appear at them dressed in their best and gayest clothes. Mdlis rdj tah muhtdj, hdyis rdj muhtdj ; ranis rdj tah sker tdj. If my father has the rule then I want something, and* if my brother rules I shall be in need ; but if my husband rules then (I have got my heart's desire), I wear the crown. Mallah dyuthum amalah hardn, hdkas dapdn hachh ; Gdmuch hh&wdn aldi baldi, musdjira* dapdn mashidik chhvi yachh' 1 saw a mullah performing his duty, and calling a cabbage grass. Eating the sacrifice of the village, and saying to the traveller, " There is a hyaena in the mosque." A selfish, hypocritical muUah. Aldi baldi is the sacrifice offered to ward off, or abate, any pes- tilence, &c., in a place. Mallah (Mullah) is a Muhammedan well-instructed in the Qurein, and generally a teacher or schoolmaster. Mallah goi palah peti poni dalit. O muUaJi, (my words to you are like) water which trickles down off the rock. In at one ear and oat at the other. Mallah har gayih palah har. A mullah's fight is like a fight with stones (so bitter and unrelenting is it) . 135 Mallas tuh chk^h mashdih tdm. A mullah's " beat " is to the mosque. " Matlab" carries us hither and thither. Mdm thawih izzat tah gam tih thawih izzat. If an uncle honours (a man) the village wiU also honour (him).