NAVRATH (6)

There is a big pond in the eastern side which was very beneficial for the people for different purposes. The embankment and steps are made pucca. The cleaning of the pond was done every year by the government. The water was pure. Since, the gathering time was June, July; hence very hot and people always took bath and cleaned their bodies and mouth. On the southern bank of the pond, there is a large well of about 7.0 meter diameter. The water was used for drinking purpose. There was fixed place for every village and platforms were made for seating purpose. To locate a village and a person was very easier. Persons were having lists of grown-up youths of villages. Eager guardians of marriageable girls contacted the parents of youths and settled the marriages. The youths came there and sat on the platform with their guardians. They wore red dhotis (lower garment) and kurtas and paags (Maithils’ turbans). Seeing red dhotis, people at once knew about the candidates ready for marriage. The interviews of such candidates were taken and people chose suitable candidates for their marriageable daughters. There was no custom to see or have interviews of girls. Boys’ side only enquired about the girls from their old relatives of the village or of the locality. What a great respect to the women! No girl was left unmarried. Sometimes poor youths had to pay money to the girls’ guardians. Great importance was paid to the kul (dynasty), gotra and mool (the classification according to the culture of the dynasties, done by Darbhanga Maharaj). Getting advantage of the custom, not to see the girls; some un-matching marriages were done. Some people started to see the girls on sacred places like temples and places of pilgrimage. Loop-holes of this were also sought and beautiful other girls were started to be shown in place of the originals.
Gathering in Sauraath (Sauraath Sabha) was started far earlier. In starting, due to curiosity, people gathered with full enthusiasm, but Hon’ble L.N.Mishra did a lot to develop it. His younger Hon’ble Jagannath Mishra also took too much interest for its development. Water supply, electric supply and transportation facility by introducing more busses to Sauraath on the occasion were given. Inns, cottages, tents to stay and restaurants for food were made. Doctors and medical facilities with medicines were 24 hours available. Sugar, kerosene oil, beaten paddy, rice, pulse, mustard oil, fine flour, sujjee, cothes and other essential food stuffs for marriage purpose were made available on subsidized rates. I can say this time as the golden period of Sauraath Sabha.------------------------- contd.