Page:Malabari, Behramji M. - Gujarat and the Gujaratis (1882).djvu/171

formed the backbone of the banquet. Good Surat ghee and sweet Bengal sugar lurked in every nook and corner of the big buffalo dish. Kabobs and samosás, bhujias and hulwás, roast and stew, sweet bread, and pulow and berian formed the other concomitants of this wondrous feast. All of us, about twenty mothers' sons, sat down to the repast, each one of the lot eating out of the same enormous dish. The blooming bride came at the end of the dinner to distribute flowers and pán supári^[1] to the guests assembled. It is the custom among Aclamji's people that the bride, under the circumstances, must, be ogled. This we did with extreme unction. We peeped into Mrs. A.'s pretty face, and ogled with outrageous freedom. She gave back defiant smile for smile, whilst the "happy" bridegroom hung down his head and looked extremely foolish under this severe ordeal. But he soon after made up for his temporary humiliation by cold-shouldering us all and walking into his room with the bride and his and her aunts. It was about a week after this that I met Adamji again. I had also many occasions to see his Boo,^[2] and

1. Betel-leaf and nut.
2. Bora or Mahomedan wife.