Star.
London, England, 1808-12-29 00:00:00

EAST

411101
!

SURAT, IUNE so.
Yesterday, a Suttee, or ceremony of a Brahmin
woman burning herself with the body of her deceased.
husband, took place at Phooharah, a village about
two miles from Surat, on the banks of the Taptie.—
I went there very early, and attired at the spot long
before any preparations were made for the approach-
ing solemnity. At length twelve slight poles were
axed as uprights in the pound, round which a wall
of jewarrie stalks was placed, as was a roof also of
the same stalks, forming a shed of six or seven feet
square, and about six feet high, with a small door•
way facing the river. A platform or bed was then
formed of billets of wood—six feet long, and betireen
two and three feet wide, and two feet high. This
was the funeral pile. In a short time after, the body
of the deceased arrived, "acceded by tomtome' and
•followed by the Suttee, aerrounded by Brahmins,
and attended by her son, a path of about 18 years.
The deceased was an old man with grey hairs :—the
woman appeared about forty, and was very stout.— j
She sat down before the door of the pile, and after
performing a few ceremonies, she attended the body
of her husband to the river, where she performed va-
rious ablutions. The Brahmins all this time, as well
as at her first arrival at the pile, prostrating them-
selves at her feet as to a superior being. At her re-
turn from the river, she sat down near the opening
of the pile, and the body of her husband was placed
beside her. The body was then uncovered, on
which she, with one of the most emphatic, expressive,
smiles I ever saw, bowed her head towards his face,
rand said in a mild tone of voice, in the Moorish
language, " Ab, my husband !" Her look to me
indicated more : as though she would have said—
Never mind, my husband, we shall not be bag se-
"armed. The body of the deceased was then carried
into the enclosure, and placed lengthways on the fu-
neral pile. She then went through various myste-
ries and ceremonies, toointricatefor me to understand ;
bat, among others, she poured Ghee several times
otr the sacred fire which was placed before her, when
her son took some of the ashes and put them in her
mouth, which she swallowed. She then drank three
separate times of consecrated water. On returning
the Loote to one of the officiating Brahmins, he found
a little Left, which he 'swallowed with uncommon
avidity ; she then received a few rupees at two dif-
ferent times from her son, and presented them as of-
ferings to the priests. Three female relations were
then allowed to approach her; they threw themselves
at het feet, and seemed imploring for something ;
she touched all their foreheads, and gave each some
grass, rice, and flour, and they departed. I mat
not omit mentioning that blades of grass were inva-
riably used even in the most trifling ceremonies.
She was then decorated with "a necklace of cam-
phise, and bracelets of the same—as also a wreath
forming a turban, indicative of her throwing off the
nature of womanhood, and assuming that of the
man. these mysteries being concluded, she arose
and prepared to walk round the pile seven times.—
The first round, two Brahmins laid held of her to
support her; she, in an audible voice, declined their
assistance, and said ,she could walk alone,--and in-
deed the oftener she went round, her step appeared
the more firm and determined. This ceremony be-
ing completed, she entered the inclosure, and seated
herself on the pile in an upright posture, and placed
the head of her deceased husband in her lap. Ghee,
in large quantities, had been previously poured on
her head and garments; pieces of caniphire, cow-
dung, plantain, grass, rice, flour, &c. &c. were then
strewed over the body of the dead man. Billets of
wood were then placed by the officiating. Brahmins
in a pyramidical form around her, and a few bundles
of very dry brush-wood were placed at the top near
her head. The sacred fire was then given by one of
the Brahmins to her son, \vier presented it to his mo-
ther. The head Brahmin remained in conversation
with her for a quarter of an hour, during which pe-
riod she held the light in her hand ; a leaf of the
Siraster was also carried in, and as the Brahmin did
not bring it out again, I suppose that this was also
placed on the pile. The Brahmin then took leavepf
her, and when he came to the door (as if anxious that
an European should be a witness of her setting fire to
tire pile with her own hands), he beckoned me to
approach, when immediately I saw her bow her head
en that of her husband, and on raising it, set fire to
the brushwood above her. It did not burn as quick'
as was expected, during which time she sat as com.',
posed as if she had no interest in the affair. The
Brahmin close to me seeing this, threw some fire on
the pile, and in two seconds the whole was a complete
conflagration. While the bodies were burning, the
31rahmins kept dancing round the funeral pile with
enthusiasm and apparent satisfaction. -
The conduct of the officiating Brahmins was liberal
and open to a degree; and so far from opposing my
approach, they appeared anxious that I should see
the whole minutely, that I might relate that every
thing had been conducted without deceit or persua-
sion. I accordingly, took my station by the angle
post at the door, where I remained the whole time ;
the Suttee at not more than three feet distance from
me. She appeared so totally absorbed in her prayers,
and performing the necessary ceremonies, and in con.
versation with her son, that she paid not the smallest
attention to any thing round her, excepting once,
-wheeshewaved her hand to me not to advance nearer. 1
--Miring the whole ceremony, which lasted con-
siderably more thart an hour (for I was too much in-
terested to look at my watch), she was as firm and
collected:-and perhaps more so, than most of the by-
standers. I never took my eyes off her the whole
time, and dare assert that not the smallest degree of
compulsion was used ; and that upon the whole, this
instance of fortitude and heroism may have been
equalled, but never surpassed, and may certainly be
accounted as extraordinary a display- of the powerful
effects of religion upon the human mind, aeany upon
record in the annals of either ancient or modern na-
tions, and induces us to credit the otherwise almost
irnarirbable narratives of antiquity.

Monday there was a grand Masonic Funeral of the
remains of Serjeant PETER Dv x, of the London
&d. Upwa ds of 20() members walked in proses- ,
sion to St. Pancras Church-yard. Dr. Sium-rr,
Master, was supported by Brothers CAnTwnuurr and
THOMAS, Senior and Junior Wardens. Mr. Scretary
Diggiatm carried the emblems,