Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1886-02-10
EAST INDIAN CUSTOMS.
REFORM IN THE MATTER OF WIDOW
MARRIAGES.
Prejudice Against tho Innovation from the
Orthodox Hindoos Persecution Of
Those Breaking tho Custom Re-
suits of Enforced Widowhood.

Bengal Cor. New Orleans Times -DemocraG1
Notwithstanding prosecutions of the most
distressing kind, the cause Of widow mar
riage is prosperiny. In the course of tho
last two months there have been more than
twenty widow marriages cele rated in all
India; of those, one was celebrated at
Ahmednagore, and another at Hyderabad.
In both of these places a widow marriage
was quite new thing, and the opposition
brought to boar upon it was very strong,
but 1t was Intellectual and tho ceremonies
in both the places passed Off successfully.
Ahmednagore is in the Deccan, and
known as as one of the centers Of Maharatta
conservatism. Mr. Lal Shankar Una Tri-
vedi, Maharatta gentleman of much re-
spectability, has been known in that part
OF India for some time as social reformer
and as q Jealous advocate of widow-mar-
riage. Through his exertions marriage
wa arranged between an educated young
Brahmin gentleman and q young widow,
tue daughter Of respectable resident Of
the town. The ceremony took place on July
l, at the residence Of Mr.. Trivedi, where he
invited large number of European and
native gentlemen to witness the wedding.
WIDOW MARRIAGES..
The bridegroom wa, very intelligent
young man, and held the appointment of
schoolmaster at Averaoti, and the brids was
pleasant looking, modest young lady. who
went through the ceremony with, says an
eyewitness, "much natural grace and sim
plicity." The ceremony over, the bride did
the honors by decorating the guests with
flowers. A Brahmin lady then read an ad-
dress Of congratulation to the bride and the
bridegroom. She was followed by Mr.. Lol
shankar. who explained the object of the
great marriage reform he is SO much in
fal in nd pl.oi Fo~
giving it their support and countenance.
Hyderabad is the capital city Of large
native state Of that name, aud Ia situated in
southern Indiana On the 18th of July last
Mr.. Rayaka Lak,honi Narayana Shastri
celebrated tho remarriage of his daughter,
Srimat Vswerwarammn, beautiful
widow Of II, with Mr. T. Rama Row, an
undergraduate of tho Madras university,
and al present teacher in the Bolarum
grammar school, Three hundred gentle-
men, almost all Of them of liberal princi-
pies, countenancel the marriage by their
presence at tho wedding, which was cele-
Grated. according to Hindoo custom, at the
residence of the BRIDES father, who, al
though not an English educated man, is q
warm advocate OF widow marriage.
Some Of tho relatives Of the brides de-
ceased husband presented themselves at the
ceremony with number of policemen,
with q view if possible to prevent the cere-
mony. but their attempts proved unavail-
ing, as they were not armed with any gov
ernment order. There was, however, some
exchange of hard words and something like
little quarrel between the parties. which
ended in the defeat Of the opponents Of tbs
marriage ~ {
RESULTS OF ENFORCED WIDOWHOOD.
l observed in my last that en- orced
widoWhood in India occasionally leads to
crime. learn that within the last month
there were three elopements of young
widows in the district Of Tanjore, in the
Nm lras presidency. One Of these girl
widows was captured and brought back to
her deceased husbands home, her young
lover having for AIKEN her and run away.
OF the other two, one was taken care Of by
the police. and the others wherea bouts have
not as yet leen ascertained. Ali these have
been kept widows against their will
Writing on those cases of elopement a
Hindoo social reformer exclaims: "May
God open the eyes Of the Hndoo public
and move the government to restore the
Hinioos their own law. and to free tho
Hindoo women from the bondage Of custom,
Is my earnest prayer"