The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c10.s4.5

c10.s4.5

From *c.* 1000 A. D. the condition of the widow further deteriorated. The custom of tonsure came into vogue. The motives for its adoption may have been good, but its consequences were often disastrous. The custom of Satī now began to appeal more and more to all classes of society. As a consequence, sometimes even unwilling widows were driven to follow it owing to the force of public opinion. Sometimes on rare occasions even child widows were burnt, lest they should go astray and bring disgrace to their families. Society had become quite callous. It is true that a very large number of widows voluntarily ascended funeral pyres, but society had no moral right to hold up a custom for admiration, which was likely to result in the burning alive of even a few innocent and unwilling human beings. Reason, however, had ceased to weigh with Hindu society at this time, as it did before in an earlier age. Authority counted for everything, and authority too of the most recent texts.