The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c9.71

c9.71

The Satī was an object of the highest veneration, and so was taken out to the accompaniment of music in a grand procession through the town to the cremation grounds. She was given a bath, and then she put on her person all the insignia of *saubhāgya* or married bliss¹. Very often she used to give away her ornaments and belongings to her friends and relations, who used to keep them as sacred mementos. Then she used to take final leave of her relations. Some travellers have narrated that people used to entrust to her messages to their dead relations in heaven ; whether such was really the case may well be doubted.