‘The coortee, or kind of banian, must be of the thinnest muslin, so that the tapering waist, which they so much admire, and of which our ladies now deny us the view, may be distinctly seen. The sleeves short, and the coortee itself so much so, that the nicfa, a different colored cloth at the top of the pyjama, may not be concealed, the doo-puttah, or two breadths of muslin, formed into the shape of a scotch plaid, and worn nearly in the same manner, is thrown over the whole.
‘The paishwaz, meaning open in front, is not now in fashion. This is the robe from which our ladies have taken their present dress, but which they have modestly closed before, having no painted keemkabs to shew. Petticoats, (called bandanas,) are sometimes worn by Mahomedan ladies, especially in the rainy season, when the diversion of swinging commences, but never without drawers under them.—Widows should not wear cloaths stained with any but what are termed pukka, or lasting colors; nor should these be of the glaring kind. Their pyjamas must always be white, which a married lady never wears.
‘On the commencement of the seventh, in Bengal, and the ninth month up the country, of pregnancy, it is usual to give a great entertainment to the friends of the parties; on which occasion the mistress of the feast is decked with flowers, and dressed with new cloaths and ornaments. One of the females, to whom Lucinda may have been more propitious than to the rest, comes forward with a present, consisting of seven kinds of fruits, and of the flower of rice, kneaded into round and oval pieces: this part of the ceremony is confined to Bengal. The first is said to be emblematic of girls, the latter of boys. This offering is poured out into the pregnant lady’s lap, who, without tasting the fruits herself, distributes them among the company. This feast, if practicable, is given at her father’s house, where the lady is generally delivered. Here the midwife attends, who is seldom, or can be, expert in her business. Hence, unlucky births are very frequent. I need not observe, that males never officiate in this line; however, the old ladies sometimes, in dangerous cases, venture to perform chirurgical operations. A few lines from the Koran, sent by some celebrated religionist, and placed at the bed-head, or a little water sanctified by being poured on the Koran, is supposed to be wonderfully efficacious; but, in difficult births, some person, woman, boy, or girl, who has been fortunate enough to come feet foremost into the world, is called in to jump seven times over the womb of the person in labor. On these occasions, all the keys are taken out of the locks, doors opened, boxes unlocked, and a sword hung up in some part of the room, to frighten away the evil demons. If the danger encreases, the husband opens his turban, and spreads it over the patient’s womb, and then makes it up the wrong way. They have a stone called k’ho, or the power of seals, which is tied about the neck, and many other superstitious practices; the same as in all countries, among the common people. The child being born, the rooms are kept as close as possible, and it is not permitted to get milk for three days. During the first six, the mother tastes nothing but light caudle. On the night of the sixth, the child is brought to the door, that the starlight may shine upon it. Pen and ink are placed at the head of the bed, that the angel of fate may write on its forehead its future destiny. The first ablution is performed by the lady on the fortieth day. When the child is four months old, a feast called keer chittaee is given, to which all friends and relations are invited. Keer is a preparation of rice and milk, which the child is now made to taste, or to lick or lap, as the term chittaee implies.
‘Smoking the urqu[[14]] is not so general a practice as is supposed, at least among the middle ranks. The great, in this, as in other luxuries, indulge themselves more freely. Zeebool Nissa daughter of Alc Geer, and Noor Jehan, invented the present form of the goorgooree snake;[[15]] and Khummer Mahomed Shah, the arched snake now in use; which is said to have been contrived by him for the convenience of smoking as he travelled. Zeebool Nissa appears to have been a lady of great accomplishments, whose hard fate it was to lead a single life, as may be gathered from the following lines of which she was the author.
[14]. Commonly pronounced hookah.
[15]. A smaller kind of hookah, with a short stiff snake.
‘Ill-luck befall that arm that never has encircled the neck of a love! O may the eyes be dim that draw not enjoyment from the glance of a beloved. A hundred seasons have passed away, and every favorite rose has been plucked to ornament a turban: