The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-11-10
EAST INDIAN CUSTOMS.
REFORM IN THE MATTER OF WIDOW
MARRIAGES.
Erejud ice Against the Innovation from So
Orthodox Hindoos Prosecutions C
Those Breaking the Custom he
suits of Enforced vyidowhooa.

Bengal Cor. New Orleans Times Democrat
notwithstanding prosecutions of the most
distressing kind, tue cause of widow mar
riaSe is prosperin-. In the course Of the
tas1 two months there have been more than
twenty widow marriages cole rated in oil
India; CT these, one was celebrated at
Ahmednagore, anu another at Hyderabad.
IN both OF these places willow marriage
wa quito new thin. and the opposition
brought TO bear upon it was very strong,
but 1t was Intellectual, AMI tho ceremonies
Iii both thu places passa If successfully.
Ahmelnagore is in the Deccan, and
known as as one of the centers Of Maharatta
conservatism. Mr. Lli Shankar Una Tri-
vedi, Maharatta geutI man OF much re-
spectability, has been known i'll that part
oi India for some time social refOrmer
and Zeaioui aivoca6s Of widowmar-
riaga. Through Ii, exertions a marriage
Wa. arranged between an educated young
iiraEmiD gentleman and young widow,
t Z dau 5Eter Of q respectable Resident OF
thu town. The ceremony took place on July
/. at the residence of Mr.. Triveli, where he
invited large number OF European and
"ative gentlemen To witness the wedding
WIDOW MARRIAGES.
The bridegroom wa q very Intelligent
young man, and hell the appointment of
schoolmaster at Averaoti, and the bride was
Il pleasant looking, modest young lady, who
went through the ceremony with, says an
eye-wtness, much natural grace and sim
llicity" Tho ceremony over, the bride dill
the honors by decorating the guests with
flowers. A Brahmin lady then read an ad-
dress of congratulation TO tho bride and tho
bridegroom. She was followed by Mr.. I.oI
Skankar. who explaine tho object Of the
Grett marriage reform he IS 50 much in
terestel in, and thanked those present for
giving it their support and countenanc,.
Hyderabad is the capital city O. a l4rcs
native state of that name, aud Is situated in
southern Indiana. On the 18th Of July last
Mr. Rayaka Lakshoai Narayana SAaztr
celebrated the remarr.ago Of his dauy liter,
Srim1tt Niswer war1IGIn4 = eGutifEl
widow If Il, with Nj. Z Rama Row, an
undergraduate Of the Madras university,
aud a present teacher in the Boiarum
grammar school. Three hun lrod gentle
men, almost all OF them of liberal Ir;nci
PIES, countonanc9l the marriage by their
presence at the wedding, which was cele-
Dratei. according to Hindoo custom, at the
residence OF the BRIDES father, who, al
though not an English clucatoI man, Is
warm advocate Ct widow marriage.
Some of the relatives of the brides do
ceased husband presented themselves at the
ceremony with number OF poljcam men,
with a view if possible to prevent the cere-
mony. but their attempts proved unavail-
erunIent order. Thare was, however, some
exchange of hard worIs and something like
little quarrel between the parties. which
cudeI in the defeat OF the opponent, Of the
marriage
RESULTS OF ENFORCED WIDOWH0OD.
| Oh orved il my last that en- creed
wido who'd in India occasionally Isais TO
crime | learn that within the last month
there We're three elopamenti of young
widows in the district al Tanjore, in the
Ma !ras presidency. One If these girl
willows was capture ana brought back =
her deceased husband'> home, her young
lover having ior AIKEN her ah1 run away
OF tho other Two. WIS taken care OF b.
tue police. aud tue others whereabouts have
not yet Leon a >certlinel l. All ties, have
been kept wi lows again It their Will.
Writing on these ease, OF eloPem mt,
HnIoo social refurIner exclainl,: May
God open the eye, of the Hin loo public,
ami move the government to restore the
lin Ioos their own law. and t. free the
Hindoo women from the bondage of custom,
IS my earnest prayer.