Marriage in Northeast India: Service Required

"The boy remains in the girl's house to prove his competence and patience for a mutually agreed period of time which generally runs from six months to one year. If he complies and is found fit in all respects his parents are asked to fix the date to solemnize marriage.
The custom is called "Jamai Utha."

If the girl's parents refuse to marry off their daughter to the boy, no compensation is paid to him for services rendered. The rationale behind the marriage practice is to assess the boy's capacity to shoulder the responsibility of caring for the girl. The couple is not allowed to mix freely before the marriage, a rule that is sometimes broken."

Até me dava algum jeito, visto que tenho muitas irmãs.