The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-07-23
INDIAN WIDOWS.
A Remarkable Social Advance in Hindo.
stan.

A Remarkable Social Advance in Hindo.
stan.
English papers, which come to Us
with several columns of extracts from
the Indian press, tell of 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 to 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 Ia that time, as Max Muller Observes,
s.women were burned wholesale. even
IN the immediate neighboehood of Cal
cutta." During 1928, in the Bengal
Presidency alone, 575 widows We're
burned; in the very limits of the Cal
eutta Court of Circuit 80 were burned.
Numbers of these were beautiful young
girls under twenty; and vet the first
effort to secure the abolition OK 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; but controversy alone will
not suffice to exterminate a national
curse OF to uproOt an ancient superStl-
ton. Therefore it was that he eStab-
lished, about 1918, the Society of Be-
( levers in the Supreme or Brahma-
Somai Immediately the orthodox
Brahminical party founded an Opposi-
ton society. called the Society of the
Law" or Dharma-SOmsj and this So
ciety at once petitioned the English
Government against the abolition of
suffice.
One would have thought that such a
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-
liable and monstrous custom of burn
| ing women alive.
| The new decree did not, however. do
so much for women in India as had
been expected. While the practice of
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
amelierated; but the idea of a widow
remarrying was still considered shock
ing in the extreme. The next reform
10 be attempted was to make a second
marriage popular, and new society
was founded for that purpose, which
has already accomplished much good.
1t publishes periodical devoted to its
ODJCCt, SbuI Iuic pipCI- CHlilICU lhC
Social Rct0rnler, is full of matrimonial
advertisements of very sincere and
decorous description. We cite some
examples:
WIDOW OF BENGALI. BRAHMIN
y caste, l3 years of age, lost her husband
six months after marriage. Her father W she's
TO give her i'll marriage to Il Bengali Brahmin
OF high clan.
4 BENGALI LADY. OF BRAHMIN CASTE.
y who became Il widow when she was II
years Of are. and who possesses II fair com
pleXiOn and long, beautiful hair and whose
moral character is most uneXceptiOnable. is
prepared to marry IL gentleman of her own
caste according to orthodox rites.
THE GUARDIANS OF A KHATRI CASTE
L lad of kapur clan, aged l.. who is the
scion of highly respected family. and i re-
ceiving education in English and Persian.
are willing to encourage the system of widow
marriage by marrying him with n widow OF
the same caste.
ID EQTIRED. a MATCH FOR A BENGALI
n widow of Vaidya caste. aged Il. who had
been married at her llth, and lost her has
band at her 18th. She is of wheat complexion.
OF good features, and can read and write
Bengah tOlerably well, knows the alphabet
of English. and is very Intelligent; can knit
comfortcrs. stockings, etc, pretty well, and
is very willing to-work. The candidate must
be member of the Vaidya caste, and of
respectable family. He must be well edu-
Gated and of good moral character.
ID EQCIRED, AN EDUCATED WIDOW, 13
IL to 10 years of age. She should be of good
shape, feature, complexion. temper and
health, and not suffering from any hereditary
disc use, daughter of well-to-do gentleman.
and of respectable caSte-for an enlightened
young Bengal Zimindar 0IndIDrtD of respect
able caste and family, accomplished we'll
built, and free from every present and idio-
patbic malady. He is prepared TO meet
agreeable demands. and in order to en-
courage widow naTTiages 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; nut in India it is not
so; and accomplislfes much good for
the cause of reform Calcutta Cor. ".