Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c11.s7.4

c11.s7.4

Consulted by the authorities, the *paṇḍits* upheld the custom of *satī* with the rider that permission for “suttee” is not to be allowed in case of the pregnant women and a lady having very small children, or if she is in a tender age herself. After this, the government issued a directive to magistrates and police officers in 1817 to allow the “suttee”. As a result between 1815 to 1818, as many as 2,365 widows were burnt alive. Alarmed by the enormous number the government issued regulations to place restriction against the practice of *satī*, the orthodox *paṇḍits* opposed these regulations and submitted a petition to the government to repeal the regulations.⁶³ During 1818-19 Rammohun Roy wrote a series of tracts in Bengali and English to show that the practice of *satī* was not approved by Hindu Śāstras. The leaders of Dharma Sabha engaged an attorney of the Calcutta Supreme Court to carry the appeal to England. Roy also finalized his plans to visit England. The appeal of the *paṇḍits* was rejected as Rammohun Roy has been a regular attendant in the Privy Council where it was heard.