Widow burning

Widow burning

The ancient Hindu custom of a widow committing suicide--or in some instances being killed--after her husband's death is known as suttee. The word is derived from the Sanskrit sati, meaning faithful wife. It was common for many centuries throughout India. As many as a million women may have died in this manner. As in the ceremony Ibn Batuta witnessed, the widow was usually burned, sometimes with her husbandís corpse or with a piece of his clothing. Although suttee was outlawed by India's British rulers in 1829, it was still performed by some Hindus until the end of the 1800's. Today, the practice of suttee has almost, but not entirely, disappeared.

Excerpt adapted from the "Suttee" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999