- MARRIAGE
When the term of betrothal is drawing to its close, a suitable day (which is
frequently a Tuesday) is chosen for the work of decoration (bĕrgantong-
gantong) by the parents of both parties, and notified to the relations and friends
who wish to assist in the preparations for the wedding.^75
Both houses are decorated with vertically striped hangings (p’lang tabir) and
ornamental ceiling-cloths (langit-langit), and mats, rugs, carpets, etc. are laid
down. In the bridegroom’s house little is done beyond erecting a small platform
or dais (pĕtărana) about six feet square, and raised about ten inches from the
floor, upon which he is to don his wedding garments when he sets out to meet
the bride. A similar platform (pĕtărana) is erected in the bride’s house, and a
low dais called rambat in front of her door, at the outer corners of which are
fixed two standard candlesticks (tiang rambat), which are sometimes as much as
six feet high, and each of which carries three candles, one in the centre and one
on each side, those at the side being supported by ornamental brackets (sulor
bayong). The rambat may measure some 14 feet in length by 5 feet in width, and
should be about 14 inches in height.
A dais (with two steps to it) is then built as follows, generally opposite the
doorway, but standing a little way back from it, and facing the rambat, so as to
leave a narrow passage (tela kĕchil) between the threshold and the dais, which
latter is decked with scarlet, or at least scarlet-bordered cloth (kain bĕrumpok
dĕngan săkalat). The lower step of the dais (ibu g’rei) is raised about 12 inches
from the floor, and measures from 10 feet to 12 feet in length by 8 feet in width.
The upper step (g’rei pĕnapah) is a little smaller, and is only raised about 10
inches above the lower one. The top of the dais is covered with a mattress, and
both steps are decorated with expensive borders, which at the wedding of a Raja