DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31218#0100
THE CASTE SYSTEM OF NORTHERN INDIA
4. Levirate
Gharib ki bahu sab ki bhawaj.
Dada leik ban, ban leik
man.
sagali
Bhawaji ki thaili dewara
karai.
sarafi
5. Polygamy
Ek byahwalo cliakravarti;
Dwi
byahwala ki kakurgati.
Tin
byahwala ki bara bhag.
Dwi
iijawan dandi, ek lijao a
&•
Saut wa maut.
6. Polyandry
Do hhasam ki joru chausar ki got.
Ek joru sarhe kunbe ko bas hai.
7. Matriarchate
Nana ka tukra khawe, dada ka
■pota kahlawe.
Sawan men harela phula, nani
dekh nawasa bhula.
Sat mama ka bhanja bhuka hi
bhuka phire.
Mama phupha ka bhai, kaka baron
ka dai.
8. Cousin marriage
Jo mama beti nahin dega to kauti
dega ?
The poor man’s wife is everybody’s
elder brother’s widow.
His wife depends on the eldest
brother: the whole family de-
pends on his wife.
The dewar becomes a banker
through the wealth of his elder
brother’s wddow.
A man with one wife lives the life
of a king;
A man with two wives is a poor
wretched thing (literally has a
dog’s luck) ;
A man with three wives has a fate
that is dire ;
Two wives bear his coffin, the third
lights his pyre.
(Bara bhag, literally ‘great luck’,
is sarcastic.)
A second wife means death.
The wife of two husbands is like
a draught at backgammon.
One wife is enough for a whole
family.
He eats his mother’s father’s bread,
but is called the grandson of his
father’s father.
The karela flower blossoms in
August; the daughter’s son sees
(the wealth of) his mother’s
mother and swells (with pride).
The nephew of seven maternal
uncles goes hungry (i.e. too many
cooks spoil the broth).
Sons of mother’s brother and
father’s sister are brothers : sons
of father’s elder and young'er
brothers are enemies.
If my mother’s brother does not
give me his daug'hter (in mar-
riage), then who will give me
his daughter?
86
4. Levirate
Gharib ki bahu sab ki bhawaj.
Dada leik ban, ban leik
man.
sagali
Bhawaji ki thaili dewara
karai.
sarafi
5. Polygamy
Ek byahwalo cliakravarti;
Dwi
byahwala ki kakurgati.
Tin
byahwala ki bara bhag.
Dwi
iijawan dandi, ek lijao a
&•
Saut wa maut.
6. Polyandry
Do hhasam ki joru chausar ki got.
Ek joru sarhe kunbe ko bas hai.
7. Matriarchate
Nana ka tukra khawe, dada ka
■pota kahlawe.
Sawan men harela phula, nani
dekh nawasa bhula.
Sat mama ka bhanja bhuka hi
bhuka phire.
Mama phupha ka bhai, kaka baron
ka dai.
8. Cousin marriage
Jo mama beti nahin dega to kauti
dega ?
The poor man’s wife is everybody’s
elder brother’s widow.
His wife depends on the eldest
brother: the whole family de-
pends on his wife.
The dewar becomes a banker
through the wealth of his elder
brother’s wddow.
A man with one wife lives the life
of a king;
A man with two wives is a poor
wretched thing (literally has a
dog’s luck) ;
A man with three wives has a fate
that is dire ;
Two wives bear his coffin, the third
lights his pyre.
(Bara bhag, literally ‘great luck’,
is sarcastic.)
A second wife means death.
The wife of two husbands is like
a draught at backgammon.
One wife is enough for a whole
family.
He eats his mother’s father’s bread,
but is called the grandson of his
father’s father.
The karela flower blossoms in
August; the daughter’s son sees
(the wealth of) his mother’s
mother and swells (with pride).
The nephew of seven maternal
uncles goes hungry (i.e. too many
cooks spoil the broth).
Sons of mother’s brother and
father’s sister are brothers : sons
of father’s elder and young'er
brothers are enemies.
If my mother’s brother does not
give me his daug'hter (in mar-
riage), then who will give me
his daughter?
86