The very little clothing on infants in India would of itself teach the propriety of keeping them in a reclining position, as the mere natural strength of the poor baby has nothing to support it by the aid of bandages or clothing.  The nurse receives the baby on a thin pillow of calico quilted together, called gooderie;[6] it is changed us often us required, and is the only method as yet introduced amongst the Natives to secure cleanliness and comfort to their infants.  In the cold season, when the thermometer may range from forty-five to fifty, the method of inducing warmth is by means of cotton or wadded quilts; flannel, as I have said before, they know not the use of.  The children, however, thrive without any of those things we deem essential to the comfort of infancy, and the mamma is satisfied with the original customs, which, it may be supposed, are (without a single innovation) unchanged since the period of Abraham, their boasted forefather.

On the fortieth day after the infant’s birth, the same rites are observed as by the Jews (with the exception of circumcision), and denominated, as with them, the Day of Purification.  On this day the infant is submitted to the hands of the barber, who shaves the head, as commanded by their law.  The mother bathes and dresses in her most costly attire.  Dinner is cooked for the poor in abundance.  Friends and relatives call on the mother to present nuzzas and offerings, and to bring presents to the child, after the manner of the wise men’s offerings, so familiar to us in our Scriptures.  The offerings to the child are often costly and pretty; bangles and various ornaments of the precious metals.  The taawees[7] of gold and silver are tablets on which engraved verses from the Khoraun are inscribed in Arabic characters; these are strung on cords of gold thread, and suspended, when the child is old enough to bear their weight, over one shoulder, crossing the back and chest, and reaching below the hip on the opposite side; they have a remarkably good effect with the rich style of dressing Native children.  In some of the offerings from the great people are to be observed precious stones set in necklaces, and bangles for the arms and ankles.  All who visit at these times take something for the baby; it would be deemed an omen of evil in any one neglecting to follow this immemorial custom; not that they are avaricious, but that they are anxious for their infant’s prosperity, which these tributes are supposed to indicate.[8]

The mother thus blessed with a darling son is almost the idol of the new family she has honoured; and when such a person happens to be an agreeable, prudent woman, she is likely to remain without a rival in her husband’s heart, who has no inducement to add dhollie[9] wives to his establishment when his home is made happy to him by the only wife who can do him honour by the alliance.

The birthday of each son in a family is regularly kept.  The term used for the occasion is Saul-girrah[10]—­derived, from saul, a year, girrah, to tie a knot.  The custom is duly maintained by tying a knot on a string kept for the purpose by the mother, on the return of her boy’s birthday.  The girls’ years are numbered by a silver loop or ring being added yearly to the gurdonie,[11] or silver neck-ring.  These are the only methods of registering the ages of Mussulmaun children.