A History of Agriculture in India v2.c60.s3: Suttee

A History of Agriculture in India v2.c60.s3

Language: English

v2.c60.s3.1 — 3 parts

Suttee

v2.c60.s3.1.1

The Hindus observed the custom of Suttee. According to Vincent Smith, there is some indication that Suttee was practised by the Aryans in pre-Vedic times before their entry into India. Describing the strange customs of the people of Taxila, Strabo states that he had heard from some persons of wives burning themselves along with their deceased husbands and doing so gladly; and that those women who refused to burn themselves were held in disgrace. Ibn Battuta saw a widow being burnt and gives a vivid account of the tragic scene. 'I saw the people hurrying out. I asked them what was happening and they told me that one of the Hindu infidels had died, and a fire had been kindled to burn him, and his wife would burn herself along with him. After the burning my companions came back and told me that she had embraced the dead man until she herself was burned with him. Later on I used often to see a Hindu woman, richly dressed, riding on horse-back, followed by both Muslims and infidels; and preceded by drums and trumpets, she was accompanied by Brahmans, who are the chiefs of the Hindus. In the sultan's dominions they ask him permission to burn her, which he accords them. The burning of the wife after her husband's death is regarded by them as a commendable act, but is not compulsory; only when a widow burns herself does her family acquire a certain prestige by it and gain a reputation for fidelity.

v2.c60.s3.1.2

A widow who does not burn herself dresses in coarse garments and lives with her own people in misery, despised for her lack of fidelity, but she is not forced to burn herself. Once in the town of Amjari (Amjhera, near Dhar) I saw three women whose husbands had been killed in battle and who had agreed to burn themselves. Each one had a horse brought to her and mounted it, richly dressed and perfumed. In her right hand she held a coconut, with which she played, and in her left a mirror, in which she looked at her face. They were surrounded by Brahmans and their own relatives, and were preceded by drums, trumpets and bugles. Every one of the infidels said to them "Take greetings from me to my father, or brother, or mother, or friend" and they would say "Yes" and smile at them. I rode out with my companions to see the way in which the burning was carried out. After three miles (4.8 km) we came to a dark place with much water and shady trees, amongst which there were four pavilions, each containing a stone idol. Between the pavilions there was a basin of water over which a dense shade was cast by trees so thickly set that the sun could not penetrate them. The place looked like a spot in hell—God preserve us from it! On reaching these pavilions they descended to the pool, plunged into it and divested themselves of their clothes and ornaments, which they distributed as alms.

v2.c60.s3.1.3

Each one was then given an unsewn garment of coarse cotton and tied part of it round her waist and part over her head and shoulders. The fires had been lit near this basin in a low lying spot, and oil of sesame poured over them, so that the flames were increased. There were about fifteen men there with faggots of thin wood and about ten others with heavy pieces of wood, and the drummers and trumpeters were standing by waiting for the woman's coming. The fire was screened off by a blanket held by some men, so that she should not be frightened by the sight of it. I saw one of them, on coming to the blanket, pull it violently out of the men's hands, saying to them with a smile, "Do you frighten me with the fire? I know that it is a fire, so let me alone." Thereupon she joined her hands above her head in salutation to the fire and cast herself into it. At the same moment the drums, trumpets and bugles were sounded, the men threw their firewood on her and the others put the heavy wood on top of her to prevent her moving, cries were raised and there was a loud clamour. When I saw this I had all but fallen off my horse if my companions had not quickly brought water to me and laved my face, after which I withdrew.'³

v2.c60.s3.2

³ Gibb, H.A.R. *Rehla of Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa*, pp. 192, 193