The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-05-23

Ing TO IroWn upon the fOrbld0ed prac.
t;c5 thence:orth. Tney we're Jugger-
nath Missir. son sentenced to fye1
years Ct rigorous imprisonment; Balk
isi.un M'ssir, D sarka Miss!r, Ram
C2rran Missir, Sona- Choukidar and
Gunga and D:lchicg Chamars, nsar
relatives, sensenced to terms ra0g
irg from three years down to nine
months.
The testimony given in court, GOV
ering tie nest minute details, show
ed this instance OF su tee to have
been performed With the most elaoor-
ate ceremony. ChsudIhi MjsSir was
a high caste BIatmin, OF irfuerce,
living in the village Of Sanchari. near
E.hsr. he died and arrangements
we're made for the buroing OF his body
en- hillside on the banks o, q small
river called "Davi Sthap."
Under the direction OF bis eldest
son, Juggernath, some OF bis hun be
retsiners dug shallow trenches in tie
torc OF q ST. Andrews Cross and over
this piled the wood Of the pyre. In
Che cutting Ct the wood-which is 8
part OF tie funeral cerenony-Jug-
gernath M,ssir, tbs eldest son, assist
ted. Bsing a Brahnin gentleman be
had DO axe Of his own. Ram Lsl
Bachi, carp inter Of the village lent
him his. Many OF the villagers assist
ed, TOO, while Others gathered about
as spectators.
When the villagers saw the widow
OF Chaudrhi Missir bsthiOg in the
river the whisper ran from one tt.
another:
"Suttee! Suite! The widow Of
ChaudIhi Missir will be Sati ~
The cremation OF dead Brahmil
was Sd ordinary occurrence, bat San
chari Village had known no SuStee in
half q century. Soon, while JuEger-
nsth Mssir continued to cut wood
and arrange il upon the pyre, hun
dreds were Joining tae Crowd on the
hillside Volunteer musicians brought
their drums, cyn6als and gongs. Ooh-
e7s brought the sacred Sanks or shell
upon which to blow solemn tones as
the spirit OF the widow j)ined that OF
a5r husband.
At length the pyre was ready. Besr
ecs brought the b,dy Of C1sudrhl
Missir and laid it thereon, with his
feet toward the setting sun. 20: 1t
~ss a:ternoon. Ram Charau, Dwarka
and Balkishun MisSir, the younger
sons, brought the helmet, the sword,
spear END modern rife and the cloth.
i0g Of Caaudrhi M;sslr sni laid them
beside the corpse on tns pyre
The hillside was ncw alive With
thousands Of Villagers and coul.ry
man. Their bodies swsyed to and
'ro, ard low moans ran from wcmar
to woman. The men with the d,umS,
the cyObal gorgs and sacrld Sarks
sat in ROW near tbe p7re. All were
4sit;7g fox toe WIDOW Of Caaudrhi
Missir TO appear.
They ha1 not long to wat. From
her house, ba5ded and atticed in her
3r:dil robes, aoeomp paaied By two
maids, she came. Her face wss radi-
AIT. Sac locksd like q young bride.
TIE women on the hillside noaned
again, but now there Vas q more tri'
unpoapt note in their lamentations.
They bowed their he:ds toward the
widow, murnuripg:
SAT-! A good wife. Blessed is
Chaudrhi Missirr'
Juggerna5h Missir, as perfectly
composed as his mothar, gave her bis
hand and helped her mount the pyre.
There she stretched herself ous be
siGe her dead husband, hei head be-
neath his $50 Il5er, as became hun
BILE wife.
Ali was now ready. Tbs men With
the sacred Sanks blew a long note
This 0sunS, gongs a:,i cynbals gave
forth nlHed sounds TIE ~onen oo
the hillside wave: .heir ii S, bow
irg tns;r heads low toward the ryre.
Then the voice OF the widow was
heard softly calling to Jagge1nash
MiSSi-:
My son, sircs you are here and
| fear not the law, do your duty as De-
comes faithful Hindu
Then Juggernsth Missir lighted
some wheat St cks, snd having walked
three times sround the pyrs, accord
irg to custom, applied the fire to the
mouth OF the corpse. This falling TO
ignite tie pyre, Juggeraath Missir
callsd upon rcur good Brahnins to as
sisS him In performing the ''Eumad."
T6CSe who responded were the
three Younger sons-R1n Charan
Missir, Balkishun N ,Ssir and Lschmar
Tewari. First they burned incense
al about tie pyre. Taen they took
chips Of wood dipped in ghee, lighted
them and placed them under the
wood Of the pvre. FLAMES leaped up
ward, joining the smoke OF the incen-
Sc. The widow lay still beside the
corpse OF her husband.
Now she drums, gongs and cynbais
gave forth their full volume OF sound.
Notes from the Sanks responded
through the grove. Every facs upon
the hi2lside was alight with religious
ecstasy.
AS the flames reached the garments
OF the vidow, she began to writne In.
agony. Suddenly, wrapped in fame,
she s:ooa up, lifted her arms and tur1.
ed her face toward the setting sun.
Above the din OF the drums and Gym
balls the crowd could be heard shout
;v>x ~ 49,
Sat Ram! Si5a Ram. Ssti Mai Kai
Ja."
The pyre was not rosringfurraca
All at once, amid the beating Of the
drums and the clang Of the cym5als,
the body Of the widow fell upon the
corpse Of the husband and the two
seemed to dissolve together. Soon
they were but ashes mingled with the
ashes Of the pyre.