Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-07-26
Women in India.


OIe hundred millions Of woman, supposed il
bo actual subjects of the British Empire. arc,
with few exceptions. sunk 10 absolute Ign'r
ance. They arc unable to read syllable. are
never taught the rules OF life and health, IA.
laws oil God, or the most rudimeDtsry truths #
science. In Iaot, feeling exists ia most Hind"
families that girl who has learned To read aud
write has committed sio which is sure To bIins
down judgment upon herself and her Lu'
band. She will probably have to atone for her
crime by early wdowho0d. And to be young
widow is believed to be tho greatest mlslcrunr
chat can possibly btf.ll her. Not. indeed thai
an Indian Woman's married lie can bo dcscriL
ed as blissful elysiuu. The women Of India
are victims of he worst form OF social tyraupy.
They are allowed no voice in the secctioc o!
their own husbands.
According to Dr.. Hunters statistics. infants
arc sometimes betrothed when but two or three
months old. ''As soon as daughter (ol Il
particular tribo of Brahmans) is bora, ,'2 filth.
er Immediately looks out for male child b.
longing to family equal in rank Wit Ii hlmsel
When ho has succeeded 10 mis- search, and o.
tanned the consent Of its parents, he returns =
his house, summons his relatives and illeuGs f.
q feast. and solcmnly stiirms before them lha'
his daughter is bcrotbcd to such and such
mans babe. Nothing will induce him to break
tho oath which he thus takes. This is CX:ep
tional. AS rule, girls are botrothed at three
or four "a barber beiug sometimes the match
maker) and married at six or seven to boys OF
whom they know nothing.
They arc taken to their husbands hom1 al
the age OF ten or eleven. From that moment
they lose their freedom and ovon the r.'r-"'
ality. They merge their individuality IN lI'c
persons Of their husbands They may be loved.
and they are rarely i'll used, as they too ire
auonty are in Christian countries, but they arc
Ignored as separate units 10 society. They
never pronounce their husbands names, and
they arc never directly alluded to by their hn5
bands in conversation. For another person to
mention their names or inquire alter their
health would bo gross broach OF etiquette
They never appear unvalled before their nus
bands in the presence OF third person. lhry
often become mothers at | or IL. Their Hlr -
thon spent n petty household duties, 10 cook
ing for their families 10 gosslplng with temar
friends, 10 arranging tho marriages OF their
children, in domestic jealouses and envyIngs'
in thousand foolish frvoliics. 10 wearlsomc
round OF burdcnsomo religious ceremonies lnI
posed by exactlDg priests.
Add to this that OF the upper classes atc
eoopcd up behind Pardahs or 10 the saguant
atmosphere Of Z.uauas. There they are prlS
oners 10 apartments set apart Tor their exclusive
occupation. They have 90 opportunity OF l'st
ening to tho Intellectual conversation of educ.
ted men. They are shut out from every
wholesome Influence, and dcharred from every
healthy occupation likely to conducr to ti'o
improvement Of their physical condition, or 10
!helr social moral and intellectual elevation.
They become cnfeebled 10 mlud anl Worn out
10 body at period Of life when Elropo.n W
men have barely reached their PRIME In"y
are neither fit for independence, nor have they
auy desire for it. Aod what OF the young
widows? IF young wife has no ludlvidulhty
apart from her husband, youog WIDOW has,
nra ,tically, 90 existenco L. IL true that !hr
law has prohibited a widow from b:iny burn.d
With her dead husband. 1t is true. too, thl!
| an old widow is cared for by her chIdrco If sac
has remained wife long enough to haV'
! large family. She is even more than care.
| for.
Every mother 10 Ioiia sau o'l9ct Of v2as
! ration to her offspring. A. Wit, she ml3
| be nothing But as mother, cv:n thou II /"
! widow, she il all 10 all to her obttd"cn. L! Is
| ony young widow or ohlidlrss widow WhD
| is regarded as worse than deal. BIt nearly
| cy-1y household pos,csscs WIDOW OF !h''
| kind. Such o widow belongs forever 70 bet
dead husband. A wido~or may marry agsi1,
but widow never. Sae ls mad, bons;. ~
drudge. She ia expected 20 get up at a. VI
before the servants of the family. Ne oos VII
supply her With water. She NUT % to the
we'll and fetch water for herself L. Is uniucSy
10 meet her. She is supposed to be 10 eternal
mouruiog for her deceased lord, though she may
never have seen HIN except at her child wen
ding. She must practice perpetual last ard oE'T
| eat ono meal day. II her young husba'd
had ACQUIRED properly Of his cwn before lis
death and the household is still uDdlVl'ed. al
euch property is takon by her brothers 10 '""
She retains nothing but her oruam, h''
which she lust on no account wear. one j.
told that she cannot have food gwen 10 h,r ~
she has "esten her jewels. 10 oth'r "''us
! aha is pxnected to sell her ornaments TO pre-
vent herself from starving. lo short snc Su u,
/ fsrs living death, and would otten cheeriu'IS
lion herself up TO be burned, If the law Woui'
JIow her. OF oouls, there are exceptions Il
th;a In some parts of India-ss, tor lostaIcH
+ in the Mahratta couutry-Wonen OF ell cIs; 81
@ are more Independent, aud assert thense'',
t NTH moro bolduess. There is also cGlsh
aide to tho 1icture OF female life and ch"rlc'cr
Hindn women must be allowed full credit i
their strict discharge Of household duties, le
their personal cleanliness, thrift, activity an
nractical fidelity 10 the doctrines aud rrcocrt
Of thoir religion. They arc generally Io9Gd
= husbands, aud are never brutaIIy 'rea'o1.
q wife beating drunkard Is uckooWn 10 lno,
+ Iu return, Indian wives and mothers arc Ut
u voted to their families.
II IL