The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-07-22
Calc,ttta. Lltne IL

country. Ihe writer is native OF Pittsheld
Massachusetts, where her parents now reside.
Calc,dta, June 13.
Z" open my letter, my dearest friends, to
tell you I have Witnessed one of the most
extraordinary and horrid scenes ever per-
formed by human beings namely, the self
immolation of a woman on the funeral pile
of her husband. The dreadful sacrifice has
made an impression on my mind, that years
will not efface thank my God that-I was
born in Christian land and instructed in the
Christian religion.
''This- event is sorecent, can hardly COM
pose myself sufficient to relate it. Last night
l could not close my eyes, nor could 1 drive
this martyred woman from my recollection.-
1 am almost sick to-day, and am sure you
will not wonder at it. But this ceremony is
so much celebrated, and by my countrymen
so much doubted, that l was resolved to see
if such deeds could be- / have seen: and
the universe would not induce me to be pres
ent on a similar occasion-I cannot realize
what have SCENT seems like a horrible
dream.
" yesterday morning, at seven O'Clock, this
woman was brought in palanquin, to the
place of sacrifice. It is on the banks of the
Ganges, only two miles from Calcutta. Her
husband had been previously brought to the
river to expire. His disorder was hydropho-
bia-(think of the agony this must have oc-
casioned him.) He had now been dead twen-
ty-tour hours, and no person could prevail on
the wife to save herself She had three chill
dren, whom she committed to the care of her
mother. "A woman, called to be undertaken
was preparing the pile. 1t was composed of
bamboo, firewood. oils, rosin, and kind of
fax, altogether very combustible. 1t was
elevated above the ground, should say twen-
ty inches, and supported by strong stakes
The dead body was lying on rude couch,
very near, covered with white cloth. The
Oldest child, boy of seven years, who was to
light the pile, was standing near the corpse
The woman sat perfectly unmoved during all
the preparation: apparently at prayer and
counting string of beads, which she held in
her hand. She was j1st thirty years old;
her husband twenty-seven years older.
"The government threw every obstacle in
the way of this procedure. They were not
strong enough to resort to violent measures
to prevent this abominable custom Nothing
but our religion can abolish it, and do not
believe there is single particle of Christian
ity in the breast of a single native of 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 anything like COM
pulsion. 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 round the
head, and about the waist. Holy water was
thrown over it by the child, and afterward,
oil by the Brahmins. 1t was then placed up
on the pile, upon the left side. The woman
now left the palanquin, and walked into the
river, supported by her brothers, who were
agitated, and required more support than her.
self. She was divested of all her ornaments;
her hair hanging dishevelled about her face,
which expressed perfect resignation. Her
| forehead and feet were stained with deep
red. She bathed in the river, and drank a
little water, which was the only nourishment
she received after her husbands DEATH An
oath was administered by the attending Brah-
minis, which is done by putting the hand in
holy water, and repating from the Shaster a
few lines. The oath was given seven times.
I forgot to say the child received an oath be-
fore the corpse was removed. The brothers
also prayed over the body, and sprinkled
themselves 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 SO as to conceal
her face. She had in her hand little box
containing parting gifts, which she presented
to her brothers, and to the Brahnins, with
then fastened round her wrists. Her child
now put little rice in her mouth, which was
the last thing she received. She raised hel
eyes to heaven several times, during the riv'
er ceremonies, which occupied ten or twenty
minutes She took no notice of her child
having taken leave of her female friends anc
children early in the morning. A little cuE
of eonsecrated rice was placed by the child Al
the head of the corpse. She now walked tc
the pile, and bent with lowly reverence owe
the feet of her husband, then. unaided, she
passed three times around the pile. She now
seemed excited by enthusiasm some said o
q religious nature, others, of affection for the
dead do not pretend to say what motive
aotuated her; but she stepped up to the pile