The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-02-23
THE WIDOWS FUNERAL PYRE.

!
Her Husbands Corpse-A Custom Peculiar
| to India.
In the remote village of Gader De
hee, in the district of Banhurrah, there
are to be seen two small tombs on the
banks of small lake, containing the
holy ashes of a young lady who burned
herself alive on the funeral pyre of her
deceased husband. The name. Of the
husband of the lady was Brahamand
Gossain, and he died of fever in the
morning. She wept not, but sat by
the dead body of her husband. How
we wished that she could give vent to
her feelings and relieve herself. But
no, she sat and uttered neither sigh
nor groan. At last she arose and
proceeded straightway toward the Tha-
koor Baree to the image of the god
Krishma. There she went, followed
by many men and women, and pros
trated herself before the god. Then
she stood and began to divest herself
of the ornaments that she had on her
person. One by one she took them and
placed them at the foot of the god, for
the first time speaking "Here, my
lord, take Them 1 need them no
longer" And then she slowly came
back to where the body of her husband
was lying covered. She then addressed
her brother-in-law, and she said "Pre-
pare for the ceremony of cremation, as
you know 1 can't live without him. 1
must accompany him." Though her
relations, friends and neighbors had all
suspected that something serious was
impending, the first announcement was
received with a shock which could not
be described. Then followed dissua-
sions, and her friends, relatives and
neighbors all began to dissuade her,
but to no purpose. The uncle-in-law,
the mother-in-law, whom Hindoo
lady is bound to revere next to her God,
commanded, and then earnestly pleaded
with her to forbear but she was not
to be moved. Then came the guroo,
the purohit, whom, as her spiritual
guides, she was bound to obey. They
tried their best, but she was determined.
Time rolled on, and she wavered not
for moment. Then the last device
was resorted to. Her fears were ap-
pealed to; they described to her the
horrible and painful sufferings of liv-
ing man upon a funeral pile. AT first
she disdained to give replies to the APP
peals to her fears, but at last, when
obliged to say something, she said :
you need not be ans'ous; my soul has
fled with my lord. AS for bodily suf-
ferings, l shall show you that l need
not apprehend them"
There was lamp burning, under the
usual custom, by the corpse, and she
put one of her fingers upon the slow
fire of the lamp and burned it without
wincing. Crowds had then collected
:. ON all parts of the country. 1t was
th9n about 4 P. NJ, and the corpse was
carried to CHAT on the bank of the
small lake, only about couple of hun
dred yards from the house, and the
lady followed, followed by thousands
of men chanting "Haribole." The
crowd then began to collect dry fag-
gots, and heaps were gathered in mo-
ment. While the funeral pile was in
the process of being prepared the corpse
was bathed, and the lady herself per
formed her ablution. She then put
vermilion on her forehead, and dressed
herself in anew saree (cloth for ladies'
and then slowly entered the funeral
pile. Her hair was properly adjusted
by her friends, and they adorned her
The crowd then with fearful eyes beg
ged of her blessings and some tokens
from her to be kept in remembrance of
her self-sacrifice. She was supplied
with cowries, plantains, betelnuts, &c,
and she began to throw handsful of
them through the crowd. She then
laid herself by the corpse of her hus-
band in the posture of warm embrace.
She gave the order and the pile was
lighted in several places and there was
at once a blazing fire. The Suffice
raised her right hand and began to ut
ter the name of Horee, turning her
hand round and round. She was dead
before the fire had reached her sacred
person.-Cdicuttd Bengdlee.
Tomatoes.
English travellers who write about
this country, are usually surprised be-