Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 321

FAULT-FINDING BY GUESTS
28]
Even involuntary mistakes of the most trivial
sequences.
kind are not overlooked or forgiven. The following story
an instance. I was once in a village where a man of
the Oopara or gardener caste was giving a feast to his
All the guests
friends and to the headman of his caste.
had seated themselves and begun their meal, when one of
them, whilst eating, found a small stone in his rice, which
is
hurt his teeth.
He promptly spat out everything he had
in his mouth on to his plate, found the tin} 7 stone, and
placing it in the hollow of his hand rose from his place,
and thus addressed
Sirs
he said,
all the other guests.
pointing to the giver of the feast,
here is a man who
invites us to his house, and then gives us stones instead of
rice
And he then showed this little pebble to every
person present.
Shame shame
cried all the guests
our host must be punished.' Thereupon they all got up,
leaving their meal unfinished, to deliberate as to the punish-
ment that should be inflicted for so grave an offence. The
poor fellow was mulcted in a heavy fine, and was also con-
demned to provide another feast on twice as sumptuous
a scale for the heads of the caste.
It is considered good style amongst the Sudras never to
ajjpear pleased or satisfied with any entertainment that
may be offered them. The host may spend large sums
for the gratification of his guests, and may take every
possible care that the food is nicely prepared and well
served but the greatest compliment that he can expect
or hope for is that his feast is just fit for dogs.
Hence the
common saying, that if a Sudra invited to a feast can find
fault with nothing else, he will be sure to complain that
there was not enough salt.
The master of the house must not be annoyed at these
incivilities
he must listen to the fault-finding patiently,
and make what excuses he can for the inferiority of his
repast.
His only consolation is the thought of the revenge
he will take when he, in his turn, is invited to a feast by
his fastidious and too candid friends.
Intoxicating drinks are forbidden at these feasts, and it
would be considered an insult of the deepest dye to even
suggest them.
When the meal is over, betel is handed
round, and the guests retire at once.
'
'
!
'
'
!
'
'
!
'
;
;
!
;