. A voice from the East to the young . rblyadorned. The married women then come for-ward, and perform the ceremony called arati^which is as follows; Upon a plate of copperthey place a lamp made of a paste from rice-flour. It is supplied with oil, and then take hold of the plate with bothhands, and raise it as high as the heads of thecouple to be married, and describe a numberof circles with the plate and lamp. This is toprevent the evil of any jealous looks whichcertain persons might make. The Hindoosbelieve that great evils arise from wickedlooks. They consider that even the gods
. A voice from the East to the young . rblyadorned. The married women then come for-ward, and perform the ceremony called arati^which is as follows; Upon a plate of copperthey place a lamp made of a paste from rice-flour. It is supplied with oil, and then take hold of the plate with bothhands, and raise it as high as the heads of thecouple to be married, and describe a numberof circles with the plate and lamp. This is toprevent the evil of any jealous looks whichcertain persons might make. The Hindoosbelieve that great evils arise from wickedlooks. They consider that even the godsthemselves are not out of the reach of mali-cious eyes; and, therefore, after they havebeen carried through the streets, the ceremonyof arati is always performed, to efface the evilwhich they may have suffered from theselooks. It ought to have been mentioned, that, be-fore any thing is done, they place an image ofPuUiar, the elephant-faced god, under thepuntel. This god is much honored, becausehe is much feared. And although the great. HINDOO GOD PULLIAR. Page S8. LETTERS TO CHILDREN. 99 ■Ugliness of Ms appearance lias Mtherto keptliim without a wife, they never fail to pay Mmthe greatest attention, lest he should in someway or other injure them. After arati and many other ceremonies areperformed, the kankanan, which is merely abit of saffron, is tied to the right wrist of theyoung man, and to the left wrist of the is done with great solemnity. Anotherremarkable ceremony succeeds this. Theyoung man being seated with his face towardsthe east, his future father-in-law supposes thathe beholds in Mm the great Yishnoo. WithtMs impression he offers him-a sacrifice, andthen making him put both of his feet in a newdish filled with cow-dung, he first washesthem with water, then with milk, then againwith water, accompanying the whole withsuitable muntrums or prayers. After many ceremomes, he takes the handof his daughter, and puts it into that of Msson-in-law. He then pours w
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