The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1888-01-06
HIND0sTAN.
CALCUTTA, India, Nov. asnd, 1881.

cares ana Eopess IN the warp and woOt OF
time until months pass and still my unre-
deemed promise to you, Nemesis like, pur-
sues me with thoughtsof what can write
that will interest your many readers
| This country Is full Of interest 10 one from
our own far distant beautiful and beloved
land everything Is new,noycl and wonder.
fui. must confess have weakness for
seeing and learning all can Of these strange
people their habits, mode Of life and their
religious customs, which confuse and puzzle
me not little.
The European and native papers haye
been recently having great discussion on
infant marriage the result none can forsce,
but all christians and somc HIndoos hope to
see the custom abolished, which results In
50 much misery and degradation. Recently
q learned Judge here said, in passing upon
question before him, "The position Of the
Iiindoo wiie 10 somewhat peculiar. Her
rights, so Ear from b cling defned,are always
considered more or less indefinite. except a.
regards her rights Of special property. Itis
no easy matter to define what are the rights
OF Hindoo female she Is greatly depend
Ont on the male members Of the family for
the position In life which she may hold This
l. evidently the policy Of the Iaw.and neither
time nor example seems 70 afford any anne.
lioratlon Of her position. The advancement
OF civilization, and the progress which Is ap.
parent In almost everything we see around
us, do not appear to have any appreciabIe
effect on her status. The Hindoo widow
still languishcs under string Of senseless
disabilities which fetter alike both her m owe
ments and Independence to her no revela-
ton has been voachsafed. In her person
as In her lie, she symbolises with peculiar
grace the beautiful Illustration Of living
death. To her the dream Of life has. under
the circumstances, only one, the inevitable,
contamination, that is ds4ih."
Though the sufTerings Of the Hindoo
widow are very much mihgated, yet her po.
siton 10 unenviable II not Indescribabie. The
law prohibits the barbarous practice Of
''suttee," that l. the burning of the widow
on her husbands funeral pyre. The bi.
monthly fast imposed on her Is one am ong
her keenest priyations, though she may be
only child In delicate health she Is denied
the privilege Of even drinking water during
the period Of kcr fast, which lasts twenty.
four hours. Custom Is inAexible, cruel and
unbending as fate. A case was recently re-
ported In Calcusts paper. where the wild ow,
only mere child, suffering with a raging
fever, plead piteously for only a drink Of
water TO queneh her burning thirst I; It was
denied hei, poor child, and death more
mercifui than her own kindred soon relieved
her from further torture. However young
a Hindoo widow may be she Il excluded
from all scenes OF gaiesy and pleasure her
presence at marriage ceremonies l. never
solicited. and she Is only allowed 10 appear
when the participants are relatives she Ii
not allowed 10 participate in any Of the fes-
tiyities connected with the ceremonies. I'm
medIateiy after the death Of her husband she
takes of all her jewels, lrenouncing them
fereyer.) usually converting them into mon
ey she must always dress In white with no
vestage Of color every emblem or privilege
Of her marriage is denied her to be =
sloven Is considered worthy Of merit she
h compelled to keep certain fasts neither
age nor Infirmities can exempt her only
exfrsme cases of sickness, and that Is rarely
accepted as an excuse. "Lst the widow
.maeiate her body by living on roots, fruits
and flowers" says "Manu = s'let her not
even pronounce the name of another man
after her lord Il deceased let her continue
till death forgiving injuries, performing harsh
duties, avoiding all pleasures and practicing
all virtues" All of which these poor Great
ures attempt to do with greatest self denial.
In families where widows predominant fe-
male servants arc dispensed with, and the
poor widows perform all menlal labor, except
In wealthy families where the widows per-
sonai property places her In an independent
position financially.
The number Of Hindoo widows Is very
great, as old widowers Of ffty years and
oyer are constantly marrying young girls
whose ages usually DO not exceed ten years,
and among the "Kulin Brahmans one such
Methuselah has often plentiful harvest OF
little wives" When hear or read of these
cruel, wretched customs, II recalls TO MEM
lory the following lines from the "Veiled
Prophet of Kharassan."
"well hath the Prophet Chief his bidding
done,
And every beauteous race beneath the sun,
From those who kueel at Brahma's burning
founts,
To the fresh nymphs bounding DER Yemen's
mounts
From Persia's eyes of full and fawn-Iikc ray,
To the small. half shut glances of Kathay,
And Georgia's bloom, and Arabs darkeu
!. smiles,
And the gold ringlets of the Western Isles,
All, al arc there"
Not unfrequently young girls find them
selves In the deplorable condition of widow
hood before they have passed from girl
hoods care-free days into womanhood The
law has now sanctioned the marriage oi
Hindoo widows, yet very few avail them.
selves of the privilege, because II conflicts
!. with their ideas of modesty, and the preju
! dices of the country do not allow the idea t
, lbe entertained. But Christianity Is making
steady progress here and gradually the con
; dition Of the women of India Is becoming
. more elevated and enlightened. Lady Duf
ferin has been vigilant and energetic in he
. endeavors 10 establish female medica
: schools in India, and she Is meeting with de
Y served success many native gentlemen
!. both Hindoo and Nohammedan, contribut
. most generously and are very anxious
z see the school prove blessing, realizing Q
y what vital importance they are to their fam
lilies. The women of the lower classes c
d India are not secluded, but 60 when an
10 where 1t suits them, veiled or unveiled q
'r they choose, and they mix In all the bus
.. scenes of life and engage in almost all kind
Q. of labor promiscuously with men.
,e One day visited, In company with
1t Zenana teacher,(an English lady,)a wealth
ID Hindoo family, whose daughter was the Il
) dies pupil and whom she taught at her ow
: home, she being one of those who are Gallo