Sati is the practice in some rural communities in India where a recently widowed woman sacrifices her life by falling on her deceased husband’s funeral pyre. Sometimes she does so willingly in respect for her dearly departed and sometimes she is made to do it by force. This practice is an ancient practice and is against the law in India today. Yet there are still pockets of communities across the land that practices this rather tragic act.
For those of you who know me as a person and a writer know that I respect culture and tradition around the world, but not to the extent that innocent lives are taken.
Modern India has recognized that such funeral practices are not in the best interest of the community or the people, yet some people still cling to the old ways.
The practice of Sati originated from the Goddess Sati also known as Dakshayani who sacrificed herself by fire because she could not bare the shame that was bestowed upon her husband Shiva, by her very own father, Daksha. Though a desperate act by a desperate woman, or more correctly a Goddess, why should this symbol of devotion or desperate act of love or grieving if you will, be the legacy of all Indian women throughout time?
It is hard to trace the original of the Sati. It does have its roots in ancient times that much we know, however historians disagree on the actual time frame. Some will date it back to the evidence written in the Vedas, around 5500 thousand years ago, and others say that it is a much newer practice first seen around the first century A.D. Cases of Sati have been reported as late as 2006 and has caused a lot of controversy throughout India.
Sati means virtuous woman and a woman that commits sati, by burning to death on her husband’s funeral pyre is the most virtuous of all. Any woman committing Sati was believed to go directly to heaven while redeeming all her forefathers from rotting in hell. The act of a martyr or savior would be befitting to describe this sacrifice.
Though traditional not all peoples of India practiced this tradition, it was mostly a practice of certain cults or sectors of society. “Ibn Batuta (1333 A.D.) has observed that Sati was considered praiseworthy by the Hindus, without however being obligatory. The Agni Purana declares that the woman who commits sahagamana goes to heaven. However, Medhatiti pronounced that Sati was like suicide and was against the Shastras, the Hindu code of conduct. It is believed that they were not coerced, although several wives committed Sati. The majority of the widows did not undergo Sati.”
It was also estimated that certain areas such as Bengal and the region of Rajasthan had the highest incident of Sati. All in all, Sati occurred in about 1% of the total Indian population affecting royal families and higher-level caste system women of the past.
It is also believed that some women preferred to die from Sati then to live a horrible life as a widow.
The practice of Sati was banned in India in 1829 by the British government. Indian leaders such as Rajaram Mohan Roy and his Brahmo Samaj organization were also one of the first Indian organizations to denounce and support the eradication of Sati.
If Sati was outlawed so long ago why is it still practiced in some parts of India?
Some would argue that the practice of Sati is justified according to the ancient scriptures: Sanskrit and Hindu texts.
Others say that though not directly mentioned or condoned, Sati is sanctioned in the earlier Indian Law Books:”Vishun Smriti
Now the duties of a woman (are) ... After the death of her husband, to preserve her chastity, or to ascend the pile after him.
There is also justification in the later work of the Brihaspati Smriti (25-11). Both this and the Vishnu Smriti date from the first millennium.
The Manu Smriti is often regarded as the culmination of classical Hindu law, and hence its position is important. It does not mention or sanction sati though it does prescribe life-long asceticism for most widows.”
See sources for the references for these excerpts.
On the other hand, many argue that the Vedas actually condemned the practice of Seti referring to it as a form of suicide.
Modern India has tried various measures to suppress Sati:
They forbid anyone to stand by and watch a Sati making their passivity out to be part of the problem.
Anyone having any actual part in the ceremony is held accountable.
They have also tried to ban the glorification of the dead woman by forbidding shrines and pilgrimages to the funeral pyre site.
The Rajasthan Sati Prevention Ordinance of 1987 was passed to insure the end of this ancient ritual.
The problem is the law has is not constant, and the practice still goes on.
The National Council of Women has suggested amendments to the law to eradicate some of its flaws. However controversy about prohibition of shrines etc, still remains controversial and far from being solved.
Indian is a beautiful country with a magnificent culture and traditions, but it must also enter the modern world and adhere to modern values. I feel that more should be done by the Indian Government to make the transition understood by all peoples of India, from the great cultural centers to the rural areas as well.
Sources:
http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/hindu/sati.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(practice)
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Comments: 59
I hope to see a "Sati" free India soon.
Instead of looking at India and trying to do better, the US seems to be moving backwards. I am sad for the US. When Indians start to return to India for better jobs and more opportunity we have done something very wrong.
Very interesting article. Thanks for sharing!
It seems hugely wrong to force a woman to commit Sati, but even doing so by her own volition doesn't seem right either at a time when she is grieving and life as a widow holds no promise... Not a terrific time for decision making of any kind...
Geez, even when my Mom died I couldn't choosw my own shoes!
Thanks for the great article Carol
In some of the states like Rajastan and Bengal, the women were very proud of their chastity. When muslim raiders from the surrounding regions killed their husbands and wanted to abduct them to be put in their harems for sexual pleasures, they preferred to kill themselves. After the promulgation of the law banning the practice of 'sati', another problem arose amongst the landed community in some small pockets of the country. According to the law, when the husband dies, the property in his name is to be shared equally between the widow and the other members in the family. Since the widow is originally from a different family, the urge to keep the property only in the same family, motivates the other family members to force her to commit 'sati'. Fortunately, such cases are very rare as the police take immediate action after the noise made by the media.
Why would a woman choose to die, and leave her children most likely?
santoria is another practice, illegal, but practiced even in NYC!
The world is full of atrocities.
and not all widows are willing some are shoved into the funeral pyre, this is on every level an insult to women everywhere in the world. The solution is not killing widows but making their life better.
Have a Great & powerful day W/J!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!