Burning
widow at Ajodhan, India
In
India, I heard that many women kill themselves when their husband
dies.
This
seemed so shocking to me that I had to witness it for myself.
The
burning of the wife after her husbands death is regarded by
them as a commendable act, but is not compulsory. I rode out with
my companions to see what exactly these women did in this burning.
The drummers and trumpeters were standing by waiting for the womans
coming. 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, and men threw on her the firewood they
were carrying, and others put those heavy balks on top of her to
prevent her moving. When I saw this, I nearly fell off my horse.
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