Storia do Mogor 281.21.4

281.21.4

Getting into his palanquin, and followed by his cortege, he went round the town and returned to the door of his house. Here he was met by three female relations, each carrying a bowl in her two hands. Two of these bowls were filled with saffron water and a small herb resembling couch-grass (chiendent), which they assert to be the hair of the idol Polur (Pillaiyar), who has the head of an elephant and a large belly. The third vessel was in the middle; it was full of rice of different colours, and held a ball of cooked rice steeped in butter made from cow's milk, and in this ball was inserted a burning wick fed by cow's butter [? ghi] instead of oil. It is true that the women relations, not expecting to be allowed to carry out the usual ceremony themselves, placed these bowls into the hands of three dancing-women, who waved them each three times round the bridegroom's head. The intention is to preserve him from evils into which he might otherwise fall, and to hinder the effects of any tricks that might be played off upon him. Then at the end of the third time they emptied the bowls at the bridegroom's feet. After that he entered the tent, where he circumambulated the altar and the things deposited on it.