The Shasta courier., 1868-02-08
SHASTA COURIER.
The Education of HIndoo Ladies.

A girl, by THndow law, is to be married at
eight, if possible, and certainly before ten
being once married, she enters the zenana
for life, and becomes one of those to whom
the term is applied, which literally translat-
ed means not allowed to see the sun. -
The habit Of the guarded seclusion of women
In the upper classes formed no part of Hin
doc life prior to the conquest of Hindustan
by the Mohammetans. Passages may be
adduced from ancient Hindoo writings, and
examples cited from history, to show that
some were allowed and were competent to
occupy high social position but, with the
extension of Mahommetan rule, there grew
up in the Hindoo mind Mahom etan distrust
Of women. till the universal feeling was
embodied in the common proverb, - that
woman cannot with safety be trusted until
she is dead; - and Hindustan shuts her up
as a frail animal, in some cases to be petted,
but ALWAYS to be coufine I. 1t suffers no
family circle, allows no social intercourse.
Men live apart, eat, sit and talk by them
selves; SO fur is the wife ignored that it is
not etiquette to inquire after her. Education
she has none, and her amusements are but
few; her children, her jewels, gossip about
her children or her food, her acts of daily
worship, relieved at festival times. perhaps,
BY the recital of some tale Of love of the gods,
by one who sits where he can be heard but
not seen, fill up the monotonous sound of her
daily prison cell.
Never allowed to participate in her hus-
bands occupations or amusements, she never
knows how to alleviate his anxieties when
they arise, nor does she ever venture to hope
o be the sharer in his joys; she is like a
Gagged bird, re7osing in miserable Incidence,
and yet not quiet, for envy and jealousy ever
fill her with suspicion and tears. From her
childhood she has been taught to consider
marriage as her first great object, and then,
as probability, that another wife, more
loved, may supplant her in her husbands
affections, upon whom, as children learn
nursery rhymes in England, she has learned
to invoke the bitterest curses; and thus,
before she has entered upon life or known
any of its SORROWS, her spirit is embittered
with hate toward the imaginable second vile
of her husband.
But even though she is not superseded,
because, perhaps she is the mother of sons,
and though she be nursed in affiuence and
loaded with jewels, she has no enjoyment
beyond that of the qualification of the senses;
and ever looming in the distance is the posi-.
bility of widowhood coming upon her with
It's miseres and degradations. Widowhood
to n IIindOo woman is burden Indeed
This may come upon her while still in the
Spring-time of life, or even younger; for a
child betrothed is regarded as married, and
consequently may become widow; and, if
SO regarded, throughout her lifelong course
suffering and self denial are to be her lot;
one meal a day, of common food, and OF such
kinds only as can be cooked at one time and
in one vessel the servant of all, subject to
all clothed in the coarest garments, despised
and oppressed by all, unpitied and fatigaed,
she retres at night, but bed is forbidden
her to sleep on. Her husband is dead she
ought to have died with him, Her hope in
life is gone; spiritual consolation she has
none every mornings light but lights up
more distinctly her misery, until sorrow and
despair accomplish their work, and she
leaves the world unlamented as she came
into it, unwelcome.