The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-11-21
SACRIFICE OF A HINDoo WOMAN.

cultii 10 hcr IrlennS IN TINS country. Th
writer is a native of Pittsfield, Mus5achu
sets, where her parents now reside:
81 open my letter, my dearest friends, ,
tell yon lave witnessed one The most eS
: iTaordnaTy and horrid scenes ever perform
cd by human beings: namely, the self-in
notation of a woman on the funeral pile G
her husband. The dreadful sacrifice ha
/ made an impression on nv mimi, that year
VIII not efface. | thank my God that wa
born in the Christian religion.
! This event is so recent, | can hardll
compose myself sufficient to relate it. Las
night could no; close my eyes, nor coul,
drive this martyed woman from my rccol
lection. am almost sick to-day, and an
sure you will not wonder at it. But thi.
ceremony Is SO much celebrated, and by my
countrynen so much doubted, that | was
J resolved to see if such deeds could be-
have seen; and the universe would not in
dnce me to be present on a similur occa-
slon-l cannot realize what have seen
1t seems like horrible dream.
Yesterday morning, at seven o'clock
THIS woman was brought in n palanguin, 10
the place of sacrifice. 1t is on the banks
OF the Ganges, only two miles from Calcut-
ia. Her husband had been previously
brought to the river TO expire. His disor.
dor was hydrophobia-(T Think of the ago
ny this must have occasoned him. He had
now been dead twenty four hours, and no
person could prevail on his wife to save
herself She had three children whom she
committed to the care Of her mother. A
woman, called 10 lie the undertaken, was
preparing the pile. 1t was composed OF
bamboo, fre-wood, oils, rosin, and kind of
flax, altogether very combustible. 1t was
elevated above the ground, should say
twenty inches, and supported bv strong
stakes The dead body was living on a
rude couch, very near, covered with a white
cloth. The Oldest child, hoy of seven
years, who was TO light the pile, was stand
ing near the corpse The woman sat per-
fectiy unmoved during all the preparation
apparently at prayer, and counting string
OF beads, which she held in her hand She
was just thirty years old her husband
twenty seven years older.
1.-The government threw every obstacle
in the way of this procedure. They were
not strong enough 10 resort to violent meas.
ures To prevent this aDomnable CUSTOM
Nothing but our religion can abolish it, and
90 not believe there is a single particle
u
tive in all India.
These obstacles delayed the ceremony
until five O'Clock, when the permit from one
OF the chief Judges arrived. Police officers
were stationed to prevent any thing like
compulsion, and to secure the woman, at
the last moment, should she desire it. The
corpse was now placed on the ground. in an
upright posture, and clean linen crossed
rnuni The al - ST I,l,
water was thrown over it by the child, and
afterwards oil by the Bramins. twas then
placed upon the pile, upon the left side
The woman now left the palanQuin, walked
into the liver, supported by her brothers,
whowere much agitated, and required more
support than herself She was Invested Of
all her ornaments her bair hanging dishev-
elled abont her face, which expressed per-
feet resignation. Her forehead and feet
were stained with deep red. She bathed
in the river and drank little water, which
was the only nourishment she received af-
ter her husbands death. An oath was ad-
ministered by the attending Bramins which
is done by putting the hand in holy water
and repeating from the Shaster few lines.
The oath was given seven times. | forgot
to say the child received an oath before the
corpse was removed. The brothers also
prayed over the body, and sprinkled them
selves with consecrated water. She then
adjusted her own dress, which consisted of
long clothes wrapped round her form, and
partly over her head, but not to conceal her
face. She had in her hand a little box con-
timing parting gifts, which she presented
to her brothers, and to the Bramins, with
the greatest composure. Red strings were
then fastened round her wrists. Her child
now put little rice in her mouth, which
was the last thing she received. She las-
ed her eyes to heaven several times, during
the river ceremonies, which occupied ten or
twenty minutes. She took no notice of her
child; having taken leave of her female
friends and children early in the morning.
A little cup of consecratcd rice was placed
by the child at the head of the corpse She
now walked to the pile, and bent with low
ly reverence over the feet Of her husband,
then, unaided, she passed three times
around the pile. She now seemed excited
by enthusiasm some said of q relis ious ma
ture, others, of affection for the dead dc
not pretend to say what motive actuated
her; but she stepped up the pile with ap.
parent delight, unassisted by any one, and
threw herself bv the side of the body, clasp
ing his neck with her arm. The corpse
was in the most horrid putrid state. She
put her face close to his n cord was slight
ly passed over both light faggots and
straw, with some combustible rosin, were
then put upon the pile, and strong bamboo
| pole confined the whole all this was done
| by her brothers. The child then applied
the fire to the head of the pile which wa.
to consume both the parents. The whole
was instantly on fire. The multitude shout
( ed, but not Il groan was heard from The
pile. hope and trust this poor victim ex
| pred Immediately. She undoubtedly did
without one struggle. Her feet and arm
were not confined; and, after the straw ant
faggots were burnt, we saw them in thu
same position she had placed them.
"This was voluntary act She was re
signed, self-collected and perfectly herself
Such fortitude, such magnanimity, such res
cution, devoted affection, religious zeal, ant
mad delusion, combined. had not conceiv
ed Of, and hope never TO witness again
Hundreds witnessed this scene. Some ad
mired the heroism of the woman-som
were ready to tear tine Bramins to pieces
for myself, was absolutely stupefied wit
pity and horror ut this dreadful lmmolatior
am grieved to say, this is not an uncom
mon instance.
81 believe have given you all the PAL
, ticulars put them in better form, and tie
a., this almost incredible story to some of m
| friends. There were present about fort