"Suttee!"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8177, 9 August 1906, Page 4

"Suttee!"

A True Story From India. "Juggernatch Missir, you are accused o! abetting the forbidden practice of Suttee. Was the widow of your father burned alive on his funeral pyre? Juggernath Missir, did yau set fire to the wood whose flames consumed your dead father and your living mother?"

The accused, a handsome young Brahmin, richly clad in the native costume, raised his head and looked in the eyes of theEnglish Deputy Magistrate of the SessionsCourt of Behar. Respectfully but with dignity be answered:

"It is true. I set fire to the wood on which my father's body rested. My mother went and sat on the funeral pyre and fire broke out of her person." Other testimony famished weird details folly establishing the fact that the horrible and superstitious Hindu ceremony of Suttee is (till practised in isolated villages of British India. The court sentenced Juggernath Missir to fire years of rigorous imprisonment for " culpable homicide." With him were sentenced to terms ranging from three years down to nine months, Balkishnn Mister, Dwarka Misser. Ram Charan Missir, Somar Choukldar and Gunga and Dilchand [ Coarmars.

More significant yet were the indications that the prisoners and every other native in the courtroom believed that when the widow of Chaadhri Missir was burned to death on her husband's funeral pyre a worthy deed was accomplished.

gome of the latter were in the immense crowd that witnessed the frightful scene. From their lips, in addition to the court evidence, were gleaned the details related herewith.

To-day all the holy spots along the routes of Hindu pilgrimages are dotted with little white pillars, each commemorating a "cati," as the " good woman " and " faithful wife " is called who throws herself into the flames which consume the body of her dead husband. It is not known when the practice of the Suttee originated. It is mentioned by Diodorns Sicilus as being common when the Macedonians first entered India.

The Emperor Akbar is said to have prohibited it, but vainly. Not until the year 1829 did the English dare to interfere with a religious rite so deeply rootcil. Then Sir William Bentinck declared those who aslisted in the ceremony guilty of "cupable homicide." He enforced the law so rigorously that only in isolated communities and in secret was the practice continued. It is known that in the year 1617 in the Bengal Presidency alone, seven hundred widows were then burned alive.

The religious custom did not force a widow to die in the flames of ber husband's funeral pyre. It was not necessary to use compulsion. The alternative—a miserable and degraded existence—sent her willingly to the flames. Besides the act was regarded as that of a virtuous and faithful wife, and was strongly recommended by public opinion, among the Rajduts especially, as the only means of the widow's and her husband's happiness in the future state. The primitive view of the future life regarded the dead as having the same needs as the living. Chaudhri Missir was a high caste Brahmin of influence, living inthe village cf Sanchari, near Behar. Last October he died, and arrangements were made for the burning of his body on a funeral pyre on a hillside on the banks of a small river called " Deri Sthan." Under the direction of his eldest son, Juggernath, some of "his humble retainers dug shallow trenches in the form of St. Andrew's cross and over this piled the wood of the pyre. In the cutting of the wood—which is a part of the funeral ceremony—Jaggernath Missir, the eldest son, assisted. Being a Brahmin gentleman he had noaxeofhisown. Ram Lai Darhi, a carpenter of the village, lent bim bis. Many of the villagers assisted too, while others gathered about as spectators.

It was while Juggernath Missir was cuting wood for the pyre that bis mother came to him and announced her tragic purpose. "Myson,"ihesaid, "I will be Sali."

Juggeruath Misair was aghast. There had been no Suttee in Sanchari village during his generation. He had been born under the full sway of the British Government, and all the fanaticism of religion had lain dormant in him. The widow saw that he was disturbed and said :

" Lay down your axe, my son. Go far away. Take no part in the funeral of your father and your mother and the law cannot reach you. The law cannot reach me, for I will be with your father in anothter world." The wife of Cbaudrhi Missir had lived happily with ber husband, and was still beautiful, looking at her, Juggernath Missir foresaid miseries that were in store for her in this world as a widow and an outcast. His bosom heaved. The old religion awakened in him.

"Mother," he said, "I will be no unworthy son of a good woman and a good wife. I care not for the law. I will tend the pyre on which yon become S:iti." Thereupon the widow of Chaudhri Missir went to the river to bathe, and Juggernath \li>sir returned to his wood cutting. When the villages saw the widow of Chauii hi Missir bathing in the river the whisper ran from one to another: " Suttee! Suttee! the widow of Chaudrhi Missir will be sali!" The cremation of a dead Brahmin was an ordinary occurrence, but Sanchari Village had known no Suttee in half a century. Soon while Juggernath Missir continued to cat wood and arrange it upon the pyre, hundreds were joining the crowd on the hilUide. Volunteer musicians brought their dm: .j, cymbals and gongs. Others brought the sacred Sanks, or shells, upon which to blow solemn tones as the spirit of the widow joined that of her husband.

At length the pyre was ready. Bearers brought the body of Chaudrhi Missir and laid it thereon, with bis feet toward the sotting sail, for it was afternoon. Ram Charan Dwarka and Balkishun Missir, the younger sons, brought the helmet, the sword, spear and modern rifle and the clothing of Chaudrhi Missir and laid them beside the corpse on the pyre. Two old men, retainers of Cbaudrhi Missir, tottered up to the pyre and begged Juggernath Missir to slay them that their master might not be unattended in the other world, but be waved them away. " My mother will be Sati," he said; "it is enough." The hillside was now alive with thousands of villagers and countrymen. Their bodies swayed to and fro, and iow moans ran from woman to woman. The men with the drums, the cymbals, gongs and sacred Sanks sat in a row near the pyre. All were waiting for the widow of Chandrhi Missir to appear. Juggernath Missir, as perfectly composed as his mother, gave her his hand and helped ber mount the pyre. There she stretched herself Oat beside her dead husband, her head beneath hia shoulder as became a humble wife.

All was now ready. The men with the sacred Sanks blew a long note. The drams, gongs and cymbals gave forth muffled sounds. The women on tfie hillside waved their bodies, bowing their heads low toward the pyre. Then the voice of the widow was heard softly calling to Juggernath Missir: "My son, since you are here and fear not the 1>«, do your duty as becomes a faithful Hindi "

Then Juggermath Misair lighted soma wheat 6tocks and, having walked three times around the pyre, according to custom, applied the fire to the mouth ot the corpse. This tailing to ignite the pyre, Juggernath Missir called upon four good Brahmins to assist him in performing the " Humad." Those who responded were the three younger sons—Kam Charan Missir, Rulkishun Missir and Lachman Tewari. First they burned incense all about the pyre. Then they took chips of wood dipped in ghee, lighted them and placed them under the wood of the pyre. Flames leaped upward, joining the smoke of the incense. The widow lay still beside the corpse of her husband.

Now the drums, gongs and oymbals gave forth their full volume of sound. Notes from the Sanks resounded through tho grove. Every face upon the hillside was alight with religious ecstasy. As the flames reached the garments of the widow, she began to writhe in agony. Suddenly, wrapped in flame, Bhe stood up, lifted her arms and turned her face toward the setting sun. Above the din of the drums and cymbals the crowd could be heard shouting from the Hindu ritual:

"Sat Ram ! Sita Ram! Sali Mai Kai Jai 1" The pyre was now a roaring furnace. All at once, amid the beating of ths drums and the clang of the cymbals, tho body of the widow fell upon the corpse of the husband and the two seemed to dissolve together. Soon they were but ashes mingled with the ashes of the pyre. The ancient rite of Suttee had been accomplished.