The marriage by elopement
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If the parents of either side do not agree for a selection that has taken place among Yerava boys and girls, the boys and girls would run away into the forest or some other place. They return after six or seven days to their village. Then under these unavoidable circumstances the parents agree to their marriage and perform the same. There will not be a big celebration; but only a small ceremony confined to the respective families takes place.
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| The marriage by kidnapping |
If the boy likes the girl and the girl does not like him, the boy would kidnap her to a place away from their hamlet. He lives with her for some time and returns to the village after both of them have reached an accord. They would marry and live together, then onwards. No celebrations would be there. All the formalities are confined to the family only. |
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The widow remarriage |
The widow remarriage among Paniya and Panjiri Yeravas is permitted. But it is not called as ka a a 'marriage' but as ku: ai a 'union'. The people of the groom would go to the bride's house; the groom would tie the ta:i and all the people would dine. Then they would return to the groom's village. |
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| Divorce |
The divorce is permitted. It is easier for the man to divorce his wife than for a wife to divorce her husband. The case, in order to get legal sanction for the separation, conies before the organization and the members decide. The husband or wife may leave the spouse and goes away, but it does not have a legal approval of the organization of the tribe. |
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1.7.4 Death |
When death approaches, the people around the person on the death bed, break open a coconut and pour the water sip by sip into the mouth of the person facing death. Once the person dies, the legs and hands of the dead person are made straight. With bamboos the relatives of the dead prepare a ka u 'litter', and place hay on that. The dead body is given bath and placed in sleeping posture on a banana leaf spread over the hay. The body is covered with a new cloth. During all these the death music is sung; and the message of the death is sent to friends and relatives. |
In case of Panjiri Yeravas. karimi (I) gives bath to the dead body and puts new dress and decorates the same as it is done in marriage. On this occasion kaala:i gives a token of expenses of Re. 1 and one pa:vu rice to the bereaved family. The karimi (I) prepares kailu 'litter', if the dead body is to be carried in sitting posture and paranjelu if the dead body is to be taken in the sleeping posture. A token wage of Rs. 2 or Re. 1 is given to the karimi (1) for preparing the kattilu or paranjelu respec lively. The decision regarding the posture in which the dead body is to be carried depends upon the family members of the deceased. |
