DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16243#0455
446
PEOPLE OF INDIA
be married as a spinster. It is said that an itut marriage is often resorted to ou
of spite in order to subject the girl to the humiliation of being divorced.
The fourth form, nirbolok {nir, to run, and bolok to enter), may be described i
the female variety of itut. A girl who cannot get the man she wants in the regul§|
way takes a pot of handia or rice-beer, enters his house and insists upon stayiflg
there. Etiquette forbids that she should be expelled by main force, but the mans
mother, who naturally desires to have a voice in the selection of her daughter-in-la|j
may use any means short of personal violence to get her out of the house. It13
quite fair, for example, and is usually found effective, to throw red pepper on the
fire, so as to smoke the aspiring maiden out ; but if she endures this ordeal with'
o'ut leaving the house, she is held to have won her husband and the family 15
bound to recognize her.
The fifth form, sanga, is used for the marriage of widows and divorced wome11
The bride is brought to the bridegroom's house attended by a small party of W'
own friends, and the binding proportion of the ritual consists in the bridegroom
taking a dimbu flower, marking it with sindur with his left hand, and with tbe
same hand sticking it in the bride's back hair.
The sixth form, Kiring jawae, is resorted to in the comparatively rare case
when a girl has had a liaison with, and become pregnant by, a man of her sep
whom she cannot marry. In order that scandal may be avoided, some one i»
procured to accept the post of husband, and in consideration of his services he
gets two bullocks, a cow, and a quantity of paddy from the family of the man W
whom the girl is pregnant. The headman then calls the villagers together, an"
in their presence declares the couple to be man and wife, and enjoins the girl 1
live with, and be faithful to, the husband that has provided for her.
A widow may marry again. It is thought the right thing for her to marry l'er
late husband's younger brother, if one survives him, and under no circumstance'
may she marry his elder brother. Divorce is allowed at the wish of either husbai''
or wife. If neither party is in fault, the one who wants a divorce is expected t°
bear the expenses. The husband, for example, in such a case would not be entitle'
to claim a refund of the bride-price originally paid, and would also have to pay a
fine and give the woman certain customary dues. If, on the other hand, it is the
wife who demands a divorce without just cause, her father has to make good the
bride-price in addition to a fine for her levity of behaviour. The divorce is effect^
in the presence of the assembled villagers by the husband tearing asunder three
sal (Shorea robi/sta) leaves in token of separation, and upsetting a brass pot fu
of water.
In the matter of inheritance Santals follow their own customs, and knO*
nothing of the so-called codes which govern the devolution of property arnoD|
Hindus. Sons inherit in equal shares ; a daughter has no claim to a portion as 0
right, but usually gets a cow given to her when the property is divided. Fail'11''
sons, the father takes ; failing him, the brothers ; after them, the male agnate5.
Failing agnates, the daughter inherits with succession to her children. If a rn&'J
dies leaving young sons, his widow manages the property till all the sons are o'
enough to divide and start separate households. She then takes up her abode
with the youngest. Should the widow marry outside the family, the male agnate
take the property in trust till the sons are of age, and she gets nothing. If a ffl3'1
has male relatives, he cannot give away his property even to a son-in-law. Wi"5
are unknown.
According to Mr. Skrefsrud traces may be discerned in the background of thc
Santal religion of a faineant Supreme Deity called Thakur, whom the Santa'5
have long ceased to worship for the sufficient reason that he is too good to trout)'1
himself about anybody and does neither good nor ill to mankind. Some identif)
him with the Sun, whom the Santals regard as a good god and worship every fift'1
PEOPLE OF INDIA
be married as a spinster. It is said that an itut marriage is often resorted to ou
of spite in order to subject the girl to the humiliation of being divorced.
The fourth form, nirbolok {nir, to run, and bolok to enter), may be described i
the female variety of itut. A girl who cannot get the man she wants in the regul§|
way takes a pot of handia or rice-beer, enters his house and insists upon stayiflg
there. Etiquette forbids that she should be expelled by main force, but the mans
mother, who naturally desires to have a voice in the selection of her daughter-in-la|j
may use any means short of personal violence to get her out of the house. It13
quite fair, for example, and is usually found effective, to throw red pepper on the
fire, so as to smoke the aspiring maiden out ; but if she endures this ordeal with'
o'ut leaving the house, she is held to have won her husband and the family 15
bound to recognize her.
The fifth form, sanga, is used for the marriage of widows and divorced wome11
The bride is brought to the bridegroom's house attended by a small party of W'
own friends, and the binding proportion of the ritual consists in the bridegroom
taking a dimbu flower, marking it with sindur with his left hand, and with tbe
same hand sticking it in the bride's back hair.
The sixth form, Kiring jawae, is resorted to in the comparatively rare case
when a girl has had a liaison with, and become pregnant by, a man of her sep
whom she cannot marry. In order that scandal may be avoided, some one i»
procured to accept the post of husband, and in consideration of his services he
gets two bullocks, a cow, and a quantity of paddy from the family of the man W
whom the girl is pregnant. The headman then calls the villagers together, an"
in their presence declares the couple to be man and wife, and enjoins the girl 1
live with, and be faithful to, the husband that has provided for her.
A widow may marry again. It is thought the right thing for her to marry l'er
late husband's younger brother, if one survives him, and under no circumstance'
may she marry his elder brother. Divorce is allowed at the wish of either husbai''
or wife. If neither party is in fault, the one who wants a divorce is expected t°
bear the expenses. The husband, for example, in such a case would not be entitle'
to claim a refund of the bride-price originally paid, and would also have to pay a
fine and give the woman certain customary dues. If, on the other hand, it is the
wife who demands a divorce without just cause, her father has to make good the
bride-price in addition to a fine for her levity of behaviour. The divorce is effect^
in the presence of the assembled villagers by the husband tearing asunder three
sal (Shorea robi/sta) leaves in token of separation, and upsetting a brass pot fu
of water.
In the matter of inheritance Santals follow their own customs, and knO*
nothing of the so-called codes which govern the devolution of property arnoD|
Hindus. Sons inherit in equal shares ; a daughter has no claim to a portion as 0
right, but usually gets a cow given to her when the property is divided. Fail'11''
sons, the father takes ; failing him, the brothers ; after them, the male agnate5.
Failing agnates, the daughter inherits with succession to her children. If a rn&'J
dies leaving young sons, his widow manages the property till all the sons are o'
enough to divide and start separate households. She then takes up her abode
with the youngest. Should the widow marry outside the family, the male agnate
take the property in trust till the sons are of age, and she gets nothing. If a ffl3'1
has male relatives, he cannot give away his property even to a son-in-law. Wi"5
are unknown.
According to Mr. Skrefsrud traces may be discerned in the background of thc
Santal religion of a faineant Supreme Deity called Thakur, whom the Santa'5
have long ceased to worship for the sufficient reason that he is too good to trout)'1
himself about anybody and does neither good nor ill to mankind. Some identif)
him with the Sun, whom the Santals regard as a good god and worship every fift'1