Tharus of Dang: Rites de Passage and Festivals

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/Kailash
man becomes the new husband of the widow, enjoying the same
social status as well as the same affinal and consanguineal
relationship with others, as enjoyed by the first husband.
The children born from such a union become bonafide members
of the family and the new-born sons get or can claim an equal
share of the property, after the partition of the joint-
family, if their father behaves and works honestly for the
benefit of that joint-family like other men of the family.
In Sukhrwar village, a Tharu named Kamal was adopted as
a husband for Kauki, the widowed daughter-in-law of Chotkanwa.
Kamal, though born and brought up in Kailali District, had
come to Dang valley a few years ago, working from time to time
as a junior level technician, in two or three rice mills of
Dang. While he was working in the mill at Sukhrwar village,
he had met the Chotkanwa family. But though Kamal stayed
there for about one year, he could not stay longer, as his
health was not sound and he did not like the farm jobs
which he had to do. After one year's stay in that family,
Kamal left the village for a few weeks. After that he did
not return. Chotkanwa's family wondered whether he had died
or become seriously ill, as his health was already unsound.
But most probably he did not like to join the new family, as
he did not like to do the farm-jobs like other members.
There is one other marriage custom called urhari (abduc-
tion). It happens in a circumstance when the parents of two
lovers either do not agree to the marriage or if, for
other reasons, the marriage is delayed. The boy with the
consent of his beloved abducts the girl to some distance away
in one of his relative's or cousin's houses for a few days.
Later on, the parents or the guardians of the two lovers meet
to regularize this union. Any problem, like the shortage of
bride-price of the absence of a girl for exchange, are solved
by giving facilities to the boy's side for paying the sum in