Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-08-20
Mlistellaueuns &eadiug.
WIDOWS IN INDIA.

The life of Hndoo widow in her own
country, is for many reasons an unpleasant
one, and although the instances in which
they are burned on their husbands funeral
pyres are not as frequent as formerly, widows
are still considered of comparative unimport-
ance, after the demise of the husband.
Cases of re-marriage among Hindoo widows
are very rare, and when they occur are seldom
productive Of happiness, for even in the cities
of Bengal, the couple are disowned by their
relatives, and in the rural districts they be-
come practically outcasts. The advanced
thests of the country formally sanction such
marriages, but as the heads of native families
are generally orthodox, the approval of the
other party does not avail much.
In the presidency Of Madras, recently, a
native gentleman was proclaimed an outlaw
by the beat of a tom-ton, for having given
his widowed daughter in marriage, and was
prohibited from approaching the temples and
sacred tanks of the country. In cases of this
kind the village barber and washerman are
forbidden to do any thing for the new y.mar-
ried ones and in the event of death no one
will help to carry the body to the riverside.
The theory of the Hindoo law is that on
the death of the husband his property goes to
his widow, in order that she may devote its
proceeds to oblations and ceremonies for the
good of her husbands soul. Such ceremonies,
however, can only be performed while the
widow remains chaste. An important test
case was decided by the full bench of the high
court of India, about the middle Of April.
The question involved was whether widow
should lose her husbands estate by living
with lover. After long consideration it was
decided by majority that as no text could be
adduced from the Sancrt sacred books and
canon law to show that she should be diSin-
herited, she is entitled to keep the estate. 1t
is considered great triumph for the willows,
for although their friends would not approve
of their re-marrying, all equally permanent
connection of this kind, it seems, would not
be thought discreditable.
The conservative natives are very much
displeased with this decision, and if sufficient
ground can be found, wish al appeal taken to
the privy council in London. The advanced
party, on the other hand, are delighted. 1t is
said that if the judgment had been different,
so that widow would have been disinherited
for unchastity, there would have been no
limit to the accusations brought by interested
persons against widows; that system Of
domestic espionage would have sprung up,
and the court would have been filled with
suits of an intolerable character.
Where it would have been for the material
interest of so many persons that frailty should
increase, it would have been idle to hope for
that social purity which the conservative
party say has been overthrown by this decis-
ion. Had the court rendered different opin-
ion, the great danger of many cases being
trumped up by the crafty and avaracious is
apparent.
This is the first step; the next will be a
change in the native public opinion, so that
it will approve of widows remarriage.