The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-01-18
Tho fiindOO S,ltt1e.

Aho SutCaSs
In the remote village of Gader Dehee,
in tho district Of Baphurah, there uro
to be seen two small tombs on the bank
OF small lake, containing the holy
ashes Of young lady who burnt herself
alive on the funeral pyre Of her deceased
husband. The name Of the husband OF
tho ludy 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 herseIf. But no, she sat and
uttered neither sigh nor q groan.
AT last she rose and proceeded straight
way tow ards the Ihakoor Baree to the
image of the god Krishna. There she
went, followed by many men and wom-
en-, and prostrated herself before the
the god. Then she stood, and began to
divest herself of the ornaments that she
had OH 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, 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,
and you know can't live without him.
1 must accompany him." Though her
relations, friends and neighbols had all
suspected that something serious was
impending, the first announcement was
received with shock which could not
be described. Then followed discussions,
and her friends, relations and neighbors
all began to dissuade her to no purpose.
The uucle.in-law, the mother-in-law,
whom Hindoo lady is bound to revere
next to her God, commanded, and thon
earnestly pleaded to her to forbenr, but
she was not to bc moved. Then came
the guroo, the purohit. whom, rs her
spiritual guides, she was bound to obey.
They tried their best, but she was de-
termincd. Time rolled on, and sho
waYered not for Il moment. Then the
last device was resorted to. Her fears
were appealed to; they described to her
the horrible and painful sufferings OF n
living man upon n funeral pile. at
first she disdained to give replies to
their appeals to her fears, but at last
when obliged TO say something she said:
"You need not be anxious; my soul
has fed with my lord. AS for bodily
suferings, shall show you that neod
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 burnt il without
from all parts of the country. 1t was
then about 4p. m, and the corpse was
carried to the burning CHAT on the bank
Of the small lake, only about couple
Of hundred yards from the house, and
the lady followed, followed by thousands
Of men chanting "naribole. Tie
crowd then began to collect dry faggots,
and heaps were gathered in Il few mo-
ments. When the funeral pile was in
process OF being prepared, the corpse
was bathed, and the lady herself per-
formed her oblutions. She than put
vermilion on her forehead and dressed |
herself in now Saree kcloth for ladics)
md then slowly entered the funeral pile.
Her hair was properly adjusted by her
friends, and they adorned her with |
garlands and wreaths of flowers. The
crowd then with fearful eyes begged OF
her blessings and some tokens from her
to be kept III remembrance Of her self (
sacrifice. She was supplied with COW
rles, pIant:ins, betelluts, etc., and sho
began to throw handfuls of them
the crowd. She then laid her.
self by the corpse Of her husband in the
posture of warm embrace. She gave
the ordor. and the plle was lighted in
several places and there was at once
blazing fire. The Suffice raised her
right hand and began to utter the name
of Horce, turning her hand round and
round. She was dead before the fire
had reached her sacred person.
Thus Hindoo widow ended her life
on the funeral pyre of her husband.
Her husband was dead and the world
to her a dreary waste. She
was determined to follow her lord to the
world, undcterred by tho SOL
icitations of her friends and relations
AMI the temptations of worldly pleasures.
Her fears were appealed to, but in vain.
She felt she could not live n moment
without her lord; she must accompany
him, and under the influence of this
overwhelming impulse she entered the
aomes without tho least display of fear
and with an alacrity which surpasses
all description. We ask, who can con-
tempAate this splrit-stizring scene, this
wonderous spectacle, without feeling
sort of veneration for the lady who thus
offered herself as sacrifice on the altar
of connubial duty2 May her spirit rest
in peace, and from it's place in the hcav-
ems shed light upon her surviving
brothers and sisters and upon her coun-
trymen, inspire them with courage III
the accomplishment of their ends in life.
~ .. -v---oNRe-----
Ola ISOoIF,
The archaeological treasures of Paris