Othangar is a Mithila wedding ritual performed at the time of kanyādān (the formal giving away of the bride). Eight people stand in a circle holding a long pestle (samath), and the barber ties them together with a yellow janeu (sacred thread). They chant the Puruṣa Sūkta—a hymn in praise of Lord Vishnu—three times and together pound red dhān (unhusked rice) in a mortar (okhli). The song sung during this rite is called the Othangar song. In this particular song, the women teasingly address the groom as a chit-chor (heart-stealer), saying that today this heart-stealer is finally bound and has lost all his pride. The groom’s handsome appearance and the grandeur of the pestle and mortar are also lovingly described in the lyrics.