Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 401

WIDOWS WITH CHILDREN EXEMPTED
361
The elder of the two spoke first, and addressing the
assembly of Brahmins who had gathered together for the
purpose, she urged that the fact of her being the first wife
placed her above the second. She should, therefore, be
'
given the preference.
Besides, she urged, her
had children who were
still
and attention for their
up \
The second wife admitted the seniority of the
their mother's personal care
ing
1
companion
young, and who required
bring-
first
;
but she maintained that she alone, having been the im-
mediate cause of the sad death of their common husband
in allowing him to defy the curse which doomed him to
perish, was thereby entitled to the honour of being burnt
with him. " As regards the bringing up of my children,"
she added, addressing the other wife, " are they not yours
just as much as they are mine ?
Do not they too call
you mother ? And by your age and experience are you
not better fitted than I to attend to their bringing up ? "
In spite of the eloquence of the younger wife, it was, at
last, unanimously agreed by the judges that the first wife
should have the preference a decision at which the latter
lady was greatly delighted.
Most Sudras, as well as Hindus of the Siva sect, bury
their dead instead of burning them, and there are several
instances of wives having been buried alive with their
deceased husbands. But the ceremonies in either case are
nearly the same.
I will relate here two incidents which took place at no
great distance from the place where I was living, and which
will give a good idea of what these deplorable scenes of
mad fanaticism are like
In 1794, in a village of the Tanjore district called Pudu-
pettah, there died a man of some importance belonging
His wife, aged about thirty
to the Komathj (Vaisya) caste.
years, announced her intention of accompanying her
'
—
:
The custom of suttee does not require widows who have young
they
children to burn themselves with the body of their husbands
Does this exception proceed from a feeling
are even forbidden to do so.
1
;
of
humanity
?
By no manner
the fear that a large
community.
number
of
It is actuated merely by
of means
orphans would become a burden to the
!
Dubois.
N
3