Popular illustration from life (2) : engagement and wedding

Abstract

Old village houses may still show a projecting stone or two, by the side of a window, on which to rest flowerpots with aromatic plants or blossoms. Apart from esthetic values, such pots could indicate that a girl in the household is available for marriage. Anyone interested could have a glimpse of the girl when going to church with mother or relatives, but further transactions had to be negotiated through the nuttaba, a go-between, or matchmaker usually an old gossip of the village, who, for a small consideration, would approach the parents of both parties to enlarge upon the qualities of the lovers.