Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-01-04
Burning Widows.

As polygamy is allowed among tho
Hindoos, it frequently happens that
more than one widow mandates herself
on the dead body of her husband. One
of the most horrible scenes ever enacted
in the East YVES the burning of forty
seven widows at once, the wives of
Prince of Marata in 1710. He died
above the age of eighty. A deep circu-
lar pit was dug in a field without the
town; IN the middle Of it was erected .
pile of wood, on the left of which, on q
couch richly ornamented, lay the body
of the deceased Prince in his finest
robes. After numberless rites were
performed by the Brahmins, the pile
was set on fire and, Immediately, the
unhappy women appeared, sparkling
with Jewels and adorned with flowers.
These victims walked several times
around the burning pyre, tho heat of
which was felt quite q distance. The
principal widow, then holding the dag
ger of her late husband, thus addressed
herself to the Prince, his successor:
.'Here is the dagger the King made use
of to triumph over his enemies; beware
never to employ it to other purposes,
never imbrue it with the blood of your
oltDlCSlSs SoNSI llJliI W IL l4lSl W. liz
has done, and you shall live long and
happy as he did. Since he is no more,
nothing can kecpme longer in the world.
him." With these words she resigned
the dagger into the Princes hand, who
took it from her without. showing the
least sign of grief or compassion. The
Princess now appeared agitated. One
of the domestics,' a Christian woman,
had frequently talked with her upon re-
ligion and, though she never surrender
ed her idols, had made some impression
on her mind. Perhaps they now re-
she cried out: .Alas! what is the end
of human happincssp I know
that 1 shall plunge myself
headlong into hell" On these
words horror was visible on every
countenance, while, resuming courage.
she boldly turned her face to the burn
ing pile and, calling upon her gods,
flames. The second widow was the sis
ter of the Prince of the blood, who was
present and assisted at the sacrifice.
She advanced to her brother and gave
him the jewels wherewith she was
osAoiicu, AAio AScilllHS gave WY, Ho
burst into tears and fell on her neck in
tender embraces. She, however, re-
NAMED unmoved, gazing upon the fire
and then upon the assistant. Then
loudly crying: "Chiva! Chivar the
name of n of her gods, she jumped
into the flames as the former had done.
The others 500 followed, some with
bewlldered, downcast and sorrowful
looks. One of them shrieked above the
rest, a to a Christian soldier whom
she behold among the guards, and
hanging about his neck begged him to
save her. The new convert, stunned
with surprise, pushed the unfortunate
woman from him, and, shrieking aloud,
she fell into the fiery trench. The SOL
der, all %shivering with terror, at once
retired, and a delirious fever ended his
life the following night. Though many
of the unhappy victims at first showed
the utmost intrepidity, yet no sooner
did they feel the flames than they
screamed out in the most dreadful man
ner, and, weltering over each other,
strove to gain the brim of the pit, butin
vain; the assistants forced them back
with their poles and piled new fuc, up
on them. The next day the Brahmins
gathered the bones and threw them into
the sea. The pit was leveled, a temple
erected upon the spot, and the deceased
Prince and his wives were reckoned
among the deities Eagle.
"