The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-08-08
INDIAN WIDOWS.


INDIAN WIDOWS.
4 Rsmarkahss Social Advance IN Hinds-
stan.
English papers, which come to d
with several columns d extracts from
the Indian PRESS. tell Of d very remark
Able social advance effected under En-
glish rule in Hindostan. This is espe-
cially noticeable in regard to the condi-
ton Of woman in India to-day.
compared 10 her situation at the begin
ming of this century. 1t was only in
1881 that the practice of burning widows
was abolished by the Government; and
up to that time, as Max Muller observes,
women were burned wholesale, even
in this, immediate neighborhood Of CAL
cutta. " During 1923, - the Bengal
Presidency alone, SIS widows were
burned; in the very limits of the Cal
cutta Court d. Circuit $40 were burned.
Numbers of these were beautiful young
girls under twenty; and yet the first
effort to secure the abolition Of the hid
eous custom was made, not by Euro
pean but an enlightened Hindoo. RAM
mohun Roy. He held, with good reason,
that the practice of suffice was not
ordained by the great teachers of Hindoo
religion, and not justified by the ancient
Sanscrit texts. In the controversy which
he provoked he invariably came out
conqueror; bvt controversy alone will
not suffice 10 exterminate national
curse or to uproot an ancient supersti-
ton. Therefore 1t was that he estab-
lished, about 1918, the Society Of Be.
levers in the Supreme" or Brahma-
Somaj. Immediately the orthodox
Brahminical party founded an opposi-
ton society, called the Society Of the
Law" or bharma-Somai, and this So
ciety at once petitiohed the English
Government against the abolition Of
suffice.
One would have thought that such d
question could not have been long dis
cussed In vain before enlightened En-
glish rulers-that the cause Of humanity
would only have had to plead once in
order to triumph. But such was not
the case. Governments act upon policy;
| aud the abolition of suffice involved
some social problems of the gravest
character. 1t was only in 1881. when
Rammohun Roy himself went to LON
don, that the Government finally re-
| jected the prayers Of the orthodox
| party and decided to abolish the abom-
Unable and riionstrous custom Of burn
| ing women alive.
The new decree did not however, do
| so much for women in India as had
| cd he a<ft 81
widow-burning was indeed put an end
to the unfortunate young woman who
lost her, husband was not protected
against the cruelties of prejudice and
superstition. Her very existence was
considered an indecent fact; she was
universally treated with contempt, de-
prived of whatever property she pos
sessed, condemned to perform mental
labor and often driven to commit sui
eide. Gradually this state of affairs
ameliorated; but the idea of widow
remarrying was still considered shock
ing in the extreme. The next reform
10 be attempted was to make second
marriage popular, and now society
was founded for that purpose. which
has already accomplished much good.
1t publishes periodical devoted to its
object, and this paper. entitled the
Social Reforn,er, is full of matrimonial
advertisements of very sincere and
decorous description. We cite some
examples:
A WIDOW OF BBNGAL, BRAHMIN
| n caste, 10 years Of age, lost her husband
| six months after marriage. Her father wishes
to give her In marriage to Bengal Brahmin
of high clan.
BENGALI LADY, OF BRAHMIN CASTE,
"A who became widow when she Yves IL
| years of age. and who possesses fair COM
plexion and long beautiful hair, and whose
prepared to marry gentleman of her own
caste according to orthodox rites.
THE GUARDIANS OF A KHATRI CASTE
| lad of Kapur clan, aged IL. who is the
scion of highly respected family, and Is re-
ceiving education IN English and Persian,
are willing to encourage the system OF widow
marriage by marrying him with widow of
| the same caste.
d REQUIRED, A MATCH FOR A BENGALI
III widow of a Vaidya caste, aged II, who had
been married at her 18th, and lost her hus-
| band at her 18th. She is of wheat complex lon,
of good features, and can read and write
Bengal tolerably well, knows the alphabet
of English, and is very intelligent can knit
| comforters, stockings, ETC., pretty WELL and
is very willing to work. The candidate must
be member of the vaidya caste, and of
ans e sooa HI Rus ss vol
PEoU1RED, AN EDUCATED WIDOW. 10
IL to 10 years of age. She should be of good
shape, feature, complexion, temper and
health, and not suffering from any hereditary
disease, daughter of well-to-do gentleman
and of respectable caste-for an enlightened
young Bengal Zimindar ddndlOrdl of respect
| able caste and family, accomplished. we'll
built, and free from every present and lido.
pathic malady. He is prepared to meet
agreeable demands and in order to en-
courage widow marriages amongst the
mobiles and CENTRES, he Is DESTROYS of pre-
senting the bride at the wedding with jewels
worth 10000 rupees.
In England or America this sort Of
advertising is generally deemed either
farcical or worse; but in India it is not
so; and accomplishes much good for
the cause of reform. Calcutta Cor. N.
o. Times Democrat.