tie a tāli, or simply a bit of cloth torn from her clothing, round her neck, and report the fact to his parents and the headman. If the girl eludes him, he cannot claim her, but, should he succeed, she belongs to him. In some places, the consent of the maternal uncle to a marriage is signified by his carrying the bride in his arms to the marriage pandal (booth). The milk-post is made of Erythrina indica. After the tāli has been tied, the bridegroom lifts the bride's left leg, and places it on a grinding-stone. Widows are stated by Mr. Stuart to be "allowed to remarry if they have no issue, but not otherwise; and, if the prevalent idea that a Kaikōla woman is never barren be true, this must seldom take place."
On the final day of the death ceremonies, a small hut is erected, and inside it stones, brought by the barber, are set up, and offerings made to them.
The following proverbs are current about or among the Kaikōlans: —
- Narrate stories in villages where there are no Kaikōlans.
- Why should a weaver have a monkey?
- This, it has been suggested,* [1]implies that a monkey would only damage the work.
- On examining the various occupations, weaving will be found to be the best.
- A peep outside will cut out eight threads.
- The person who was too lazy to weave went to the stars.
- The Chetti (money-lender) decreases the money,and the weaver the thread.
- The titles of the Kaikōlans are Mūdali and Nāyanar.
- ↑ * Rev. H. Jensen. Classified Collection of Tamil Proverbs, 1897.
