The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c9.66

c9.66

Amaradas, the 3rd Sikh Guru (1552-1574 A. D.) had condemned the Satī custom, and it was not followed by the Sikhs for a long time. When, however, they developed into a fighting community, they did not like to lag behind the Rajputs in following time-honoured martial traditions, which enjoined Satī as a matter of course. The Satī custom became common in Sikh aristocracy in spite of its prohibition by the Gurus. Thus when Ranjit Singh died, four queens and seven concubines of his ascended the funeral pyre. During the troublesome period following his death, princes and generals fell in quick succession and almost everyone of them was accompanied by his wives and concubines. Three women died with Maharaja Kharag Singh, five with Basant Singh, eleven with Kishori Singh, twentyfour with Hira Singh and 310 with Suchet Singh.