‘On joyful occasions, when an entertainment is given, the males assemble in the outer apartments, and the females in the _zenanah_; the master of the feast exerting himself to the utmost in providing for his guests: indeed, the expences incurred on such occasions are excessive to a fault; even to the utter ruin often of the fortunes of such as give them. First, _pawns_,[39] _ottah_ of roses, flowers of various kinds, together with fried coffee, _sooparee_,[40] _cardamoms_, ginger mixed with acids, are offered to the guests, and such as may be unprovided with _hookahs_ are supplied with them. After this, sugar and water, boiled up together, forming a kind of sherbet, is presented. Now the _taiffa_, or dancing women, buffoons, comedians, &c. exhibit for the amusement of the company. After the repast, various kinds of musicians are introduced, fire-works exhibited, drums, noise, and confusion, continuing not unfrequently for three days successively.
The beetle leaf filled with spices, &c., universally chewed by all classes of the natives.
‘Their burials are performed in the following manner. On the death of a person, all the friends attend, the corpse being put into a winding sheet called _cuffin_.[41] This being covered with a green canopy, the corpse is borne on the shoulder to the grave, in which it is laid, and the dust thrown, without any funeral services being read, as is usual among us. Sweet cakes and bread being distributed to the poor, the whole return to the house of the deceased, where they partake of some refreshment. After this, for three days, no victuals are dressed in the house. On the third day, the whole again assemble, offer up prayers for the _manes_ of the deceased; and a great quantity of victuals being ready, presents of it are sent round to such as attended the funeral, who give it to the poor. They meet again on the tenth and fortieth days, when the apparel of the deceased is given away. On the sixth and twelfth months also, the last being termed the _bursee_,[42] or annual commemoration; which is strictly observed by the children of the deceased during the remainder of their lives.
May not this be the origin of our coffins?
‘It should here be noticed, that green is the color devoted exclusively to the mourning of a Mussulman; thus, in the great festival of what is commonly called ‘HOSSEIN, HOSSAN,’ all the fictitious messengers, combatants, &c. are clothed in green. Hence, we never see a Mussulman habited in that color, nor even wearing a green turban, unless on some funereal occasion; from this, however, we are to except such menials, in the services of European gentlemen, as occasionally receive from their masters pieces of green perpet, shalloon, &c. for the purpose of being made into _jammas_, or vests. The whole of the Mahometan population seem to avoid the use of green, even in the ornaments of their carriages, elephants’ trappings, _purdahs_, tents, &c. considering it to be, in a certain measure, sacred to the Prophet. In this they are fastidiously scrupulous on some occasions; I have known a Mussulman _syce_, or groom, object to the handle of a _chowry_, (or whisk, for keeping flies from horses,) merely because some of the ornaments were of that color. On one occasion, a refractory _zemindar_ reproached me with insulting not only himself, (he being a _Seyed_, a superior sect of Mahomedans,) but the whole of the population, by pitching a tent, lined with green perpet, within sight of a _nimauz_, where the pious Mussulmans of the neighbourhood used daily to offer up their prayers to the Prophet. When the same hero perceived that the furniture on a little elephant I used to ride with a saddle, was also of that color, he affected to be perfectly outrageous; and, in all probability, if I had not at that time had possession both of his person and of his means of resistance, under charge of a company of Sepoys, would have used his endeavors to rouse all the fanatics, of the neighbourhood on the occasion.