Storia do Mogor 281.21.6

281.21.6

Two small stools were next brought and set down in front of our quasi-Brahman, alias catechist. On one was a bowl filled with uncooked rice of many colours; on the other a similar bowl holding the estuli, which is a necklace of gold beads. Next appeared incense and a censer, and they drew out the stone which, as I have told you, lay under the altar at the foot of the tree [66]. Having placed some incense in the censer, and sung the litanies of the Virgin, the catechist took the tambiya (copper-pot) on his right hand, washed the coco-nut on it with water, and, half breaking it on the stone, allowed the liquid to flow upon it and then separated the nut entirely into two pieces. Next the officiant rose, took the bowl containing the tali, and placing it (the tali) in the centre of the altar, he recited something in the Malabar language, and covered it with the bowl. He incensed the statue of the Virgin and the tali, and the latter he presented to the parents and the principal guests, who all touched it with the right hand. Last of all he carried it to the newly-married man, who, to an accompaniment of music, put it round his wife's neck.