The bride then turning towards the East, the
bridegroom takes the tahly, repeats a muntrum or prayer aloud, and ties
it around her neck.
Fire is then brought in, upon which the bridegroom offers up the
sacrifice of _homam_, which consists of throwing boiled rice with melted
butter upon the fire. He then takes his bride by the hand, and they walk
three times around it, while the incense is blazing.
There is another ceremony, which, perhaps, ought to be mentioned, as it
is considered by some to be one of much importance. Two baskets of
bamboo are placed close together, one for the bride, the other for the
bridegroom. They step into them, and two other baskets being brought,
filled with ground rice, the husband takes up one with both hands and
pours the contents over the head of the bride. She does the same to him.
In the marriage of great princes pearls are sometimes used instead of
rice.
On the evening of the third day, when the constellations appear, the
astrologer points out to the married pair a very small star, close to
the middle or in the tail of _Ursa Major_, which he directs them to
worship, and which he says is the wife of Vasestha.
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