A TERRIBLE FATE.
In India, lepers arc occasionally buried alive. When a leper is past all hope of living more than a few days or weeks, jhis nearest relations arrange, with his approval, for his immediate interment. Self-destruction by burial is called samaah, and is regarded as so highly meritorious that the disease is sure to die in the family of the victim. So lately as 1875 a leper named Oomah. living and lingering at Serohi, entreated his wife to put an end to his misery. A bunnian, or tradesman, was accordingly engaged to make the necessary arrangements, which simply consisted of hiring a couple of laborers to dig a hole, into which they thrust Oomah, he consenting to his own death. The derbar coerced by the British Government, at last took cognisance of this incident, and fined the widow one hundred rupees. The bunnia was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, and the grave-diggers each to two years ; but it is yory unlikely that they will undergo half that punishment.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SCANT18800317.2.18
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
South Canterbury Times, Issue 2183, 17 March 1880, Page 3
Word count
Tapeke kupu
170A TERRIBLE FATE. South Canterbury Times, Issue 2183, 17 March 1880, Page 3
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in