DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3461#0165
1S2 BELIGIOCS CEREMONIES, CEEEDS, ETC.
The coortee, or vest, is of the usual dimensions, but
it is almost bidden by an immense veil, which crosses
the bosom several times, hanging clown in front and at
the back in broad ends, either trimmed to match the
jietticoat, or composed of still more splendid materials,
the rich tissues of Benares. The hands, arms, and
neck, are covered with jewels, sometimes of great value,
and the hair is braided with silver ribbons, and con-
fined with bodkins of beautiful workmanship. The
ears are pierced round the top, and furnished with a
fringe-like series of rings, in addition to the ornaments
worn in England; the diameter of the nose-ring is as
large as that of a crown-piece; it is of gold wire, and
very thin; a pearl and two other precious gems are
strung upon it, dangling over the mouth, and disfiguring
the countenance. With the exception of this hideous
article of decoration, the dress of the nautch-girls, when
the wearers are young and handsome, and have not
adopted the too-prevailing custom of blackening their
teeth, is not only splendid but becoming; but it re-
quires, however, a tall and graceful figure to support
the cumbrous habiliments which are worn indiscrimi-
nately by all the performers. The nautch-girls of
Ilidja are singers as well as dancers; they commence
the vocal part of the entertainment in a high, shrill
key, which they sustain as long as they can ; they
have no idea whatsoever of modulating their voices,
and the instruments which form the accompaniment
are little less barbarous; these consist of nondescript
guitars, and very small kettle-drums, which chime in
occasionally, making sad havoc with the original me-
lodies, some of which are sweet and plaintive. The
dancing is even more strange, and less interesting than
the music ; the performers rarely raise their feet from
the ground, but shuffle, or to use a more poetical,
though not so expressive a phrase, glide along the
floor, raising their arms, and veiling or unveiling as
The coortee, or vest, is of the usual dimensions, but
it is almost bidden by an immense veil, which crosses
the bosom several times, hanging clown in front and at
the back in broad ends, either trimmed to match the
jietticoat, or composed of still more splendid materials,
the rich tissues of Benares. The hands, arms, and
neck, are covered with jewels, sometimes of great value,
and the hair is braided with silver ribbons, and con-
fined with bodkins of beautiful workmanship. The
ears are pierced round the top, and furnished with a
fringe-like series of rings, in addition to the ornaments
worn in England; the diameter of the nose-ring is as
large as that of a crown-piece; it is of gold wire, and
very thin; a pearl and two other precious gems are
strung upon it, dangling over the mouth, and disfiguring
the countenance. With the exception of this hideous
article of decoration, the dress of the nautch-girls, when
the wearers are young and handsome, and have not
adopted the too-prevailing custom of blackening their
teeth, is not only splendid but becoming; but it re-
quires, however, a tall and graceful figure to support
the cumbrous habiliments which are worn indiscrimi-
nately by all the performers. The nautch-girls of
Ilidja are singers as well as dancers; they commence
the vocal part of the entertainment in a high, shrill
key, which they sustain as long as they can ; they
have no idea whatsoever of modulating their voices,
and the instruments which form the accompaniment
are little less barbarous; these consist of nondescript
guitars, and very small kettle-drums, which chime in
occasionally, making sad havoc with the original me-
lodies, some of which are sweet and plaintive. The
dancing is even more strange, and less interesting than
the music ; the performers rarely raise their feet from
the ground, but shuffle, or to use a more poetical,
though not so expressive a phrase, glide along the
floor, raising their arms, and veiling or unveiling as