The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-11-30
HlNDOO WIDOWS.
The Truly Helpless Condition of These Uns'
fortunate Women.

The Truly helpdeSS Va AhCso
fortunate Women.
The formal period of mourning for
widow in Bengal lasts for one month
with the Kayasths. the most numerous
and influential class in that part of In
dia-the Brahmins keeping only ten
iays. During this time she has to pre-
pare her own food, combining herself to
a single meal a day, which consists OF
boiled coarse rice, simplest vegetables,
clarified butter, and milk. She can on
90 account touch meat, fish, eggs, or
any delicaey at all; she is forbidden To-
do ND her hair and to put any scent or
oil on her body. She must put on the
same cotton sari day and night, even
when it is wet. and must eschew the
Measure of q bed and lie down ON
bare ground, or perhaps on a coarse
blanket spread on it. In some cases
she can not even have her hair dried
in the sun after her daily morning
ablution, which she must 90 through
before she can put particle of food In
her mouth. The old women say thae
the soul of q man after his death as
cends to Heaven quickly and pleasant
ly in proportion 20 the bodily infections
which his wife can undergo IN the
month after the death of her husband.
Consequently the new-made widow, IL
not for any other reason, at least Tor
the benefit of the soul of her departed
husband. must submit to continuous
abstinence and excruciating self-intilc-
tions. A whole month passes In this
. state of semi-starvation. The funeral
ceremonies which drag on till the emo
of that period, are all performed, ana
! the rioid obseryances of the widow OF
: little relaxed. if it may be so termed,
, since the only relaxation allowed to
D her ia that she need not prepare the
: food with her own hands, and that she
can change her clothes, but always
O usino only plain cotton saris. The
\ real misery of the widow, however.
r BEGINS after the first month. 1t Is nos
q enough that she is quite heart-broKen
l. for her deceased husband, anu that shs
q undergoes all the aboye-mentloneo
bodily privations. She must also pear
the most CALLING indignities and the
l. most humiliating self-sacrihces. Sne
e can not take an active part In any
e religious or social ceremony. III there
ie be q wedding in the house the Woo"
IL must not touch or in any way interfer'
T. with the articles that are used to keel
the curious marriage customs. DurlnE
IA the pooiahs, or religious festivals, sn.
rs is but grudgingly allowed to approaci
he near the object of veneration, and II
OF some bigoted families the contact Oh
u widow is supposed to pollute the ma
ma terials requisite for the performance o
- marriage ceremonies. The widow 1:
in fact, looked upon as the "eVll one
:. Of the house. If she has no son
bo daughter to comfort her, or II she na
az TO pass her whole life, as is often 20
hy case. with her husbands family ne
~. condition truly becomes q helpless ON
'cb During any ceremony or grano occ'
Tos sion she has silently to look on, otnel
so around her enjoying and spornn
om themselves. and if some kind relatio
Tn. does not come to relieve her teoiu
sbe has hardly any thing to do but
ruminate on her present sad' wretcn'
Vho condition. Every female member Oh
the family, whether married or unmarrie
resi- can 90 to parties, but widow can NJ
is and IF she expresses any wish to j,
real the family on such occasions IL Is
ger. stantly repressed by the curt reDuke
Oh her mother-in.law or some otner re
an ton that s'she is a widow and she MI
way. not have such wishes. "-DGrendro
HIM Das. a, Nineteenth Century.
ears 0''''