The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c9.90

c9.90

We have already observed that the Satī custom could not have been in much greater vogue in the Hindu and Muslim periods than it was in the first quarter of the 19th century. Available statistics clearly show that outside ruling and priestly families the custom did not make a wide appeal. The fact was that the advocacy of the custom in later Smṛitis and Purāṇas failed to make a wide appeal to Hindu community. Though it admired and even deified the Satī as an example of supreme devotion and sacrifice, it really disliked the custom. It had not, however, the moral courage at this time to start a crusade against the custom as Bāṇa had done in the 7th century. Its religious leaders believed implicitly in the authority of later Smṛitis and Purāṇas and would not countenance any open agitation against a custom sanctioned by them. Society therefore tried to check the custom by individual persuasion. Ususally relations would try their best in dissuading a widow from becoming a Satī. Thus when the father-in-law of Narayanrao Peshwa died, his wife desired to follow him on the pyre. She was, however, dissuaded by her relations. Ahalyabai Holkar, who embodied the orthodox Hindu culture of the age, did not herself become a Satī, and tried her best, though without success, to dissuade her daughter from becoming one. Towards the beginning of the 19th century, the Brahmana government of Poona and the Maratha government of Savantwadi had issued official orders, definitely disapproving and discouraging the custom.