History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.126

v4.c63.t2.126

The right of the wife to maintenance during her husband's life time has already been dealt with in H. of Dh. II. pp. 568-569. If the wife was guilty of unchastity but repented of her lapse, she was still entitled to be maintained by the husband (vide H. of Dh. II. pp. 571-573). As regards the rights of maintenance of the widows of deceased members of a joint Hindu family there is a good deal of case law which is passed over here. One or two points may be noted. The right of the widows in a joint Hindu family are conditional upon their leading a life of chastity. Male members are often unwilling to maintain widows who are often compelled to go to court. In the 'Selections from Peshwa Daftar', vol. 43, there is an order (letter No. 142) of Rāmaśāstrī, the chief justice of the Peshwa's court, calling upon one Bapuji Tambavekar under threat of penalties to restore the ornaments of the widow of his elder brother (that had died only seven days after marriage) and to give her a yearly maintenance of Rs. 125.