The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-10-13

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Csirutsa tss.if. Is hssk ~ sh~,s sssps IN
widows. gutss yossa wywssW. - sbeos sva
ebveou On NE ead o. com0ttenf susct6s.
theup esceVetons sre vevy rare. ord
pvscttunley me rits ~ ssA ~ hpen Npp-
pv~sn~i. The alternative. hcwevvv. 60
forvsd w~tdowhood With NJ degrsdins
scuompanimsnss. SAN remains IN force.
notwishseandins the legislative psvrniason
sccosded BY ths Ansbc- Indian Oovsvnment
In 1883 10 the rcmsrriase cf Hindu widows.
From the moment her husband die .
Hindu widow mt only has to deplorc tho
Ios Of q companion and supporter but hiss
slso 20 take q position ~ utter degradation
In the household where formsrly she had
held 90 honorsd plsce. In many parts Of
India u 10 customary . few days after th~
cremation of the husband To perform the
ceremony Of formally degrading the widow
by causing her heed TO be shaved by . barber
and by deprivinG her Of all her pcrsonal
ornsments. Always thereafter she h con-
demned 20 sleep not on q bed but upon q
mat spread on the floor; to . but ono
meal q day. and TO b excluded worry strictly
from all festivities and family gatherings.
Not only In the widow degraded and sst
aside. but her very presence on joyful
occasions becomes al actual offence. and
her mere shadow in in certain cases UNI
propitious. such ID the traditional custo-
mary aw. In practice. however, there ]
must be . large proportion Of caaes in
which the widow h too strong In character
or too high born to allow of her humiliation
being anything more than nominal. espe-
cially whens he IN the mother Of sons devoted
20 her or 10 the possesaor Of wealth Of her
own. Often. on the other hand. tho cruelty |
Of her situation 10 unmitigatsd. and then the |
wretohed sufferer. according to age and |
h circumstances. takes refuge In religion
or 10 driven to suicide.
TX.
OF course no reasonable person denies |
that the formal degradation Of Hindu
widows and their perpetual exclusion from
the ordinary pleasures OF life 10 Q bsrbarous
III lusuhable at all. the practice
can be 90 only on h plea. which actually |
has been put forward. that a. q rule Hindu
wives DESTROYS Of forming new alliances
not hesitate to poison their husbands, !
and AZ q matter OF fact commonly did %
the days before the suttoe and its Al
q were enforced. This charge.
which dates back to Strabo (B. G. si-A.
u. III. n which has boon frequently 70
peeted In our v times. reflects 20 ser-
ousiy on the moral character Of Indian
women. q At the same time points % UNI
mistakably to gross tyranny on tho part
d mon capable OF driving their wives to
aeuoesate murder that Prof. Oman pre-
ere 70 regard tho accusataon - at least not
proven looks for the causes
p sne cruel trestment on Widows. He 10
Inohned TO thnk that the causes Of the
Usage known a. the snttee are to DO Soueht