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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