Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 402

362
DESCRIPTION OF A SUTTEE
deceased husband to the funeral pyre. The news having
rapidly spread abroad, a large concourse of people flocked
together from all quarters to witness the spectacle.
When
everything was ready for the ceremony, and the widow
had been richly clothed and adorned, the bearers stepped
forward to remove the body of the deceased, which was
placed in a sort of shrine, ornamented with costly stuffs,
garlands of flowers, green foliage, &c, the corpse being
seated in it with crossed legs, covered with jewels and
clothed in the richest attire, and the mouth filled with
betel.
Immediately after the funeral car followed the
widow, borne in a richly decorated palanquin. On the
way to the burning-ground she was escorted by an immense
crowd of eager sight-seers, lifting their hands towards her
in token of admiration, and rending the air with cries of
joy.
She was looked upon as already translated to the
paradise of Indra, and they seemed to envy her happy lot.
While the funeral procession moved slowly along, the
spectators, especially the women, tried to draw near to
her to congratulate her on her good fortune, at the same
time expecting that, in virtue of the gift of prescience
which such a meritorious attachment must confer upon
her, she would be pleased to predict the happy things
that might befall them here below. With gracious and
amiable mien she declared to one that she would long
enjoy the favours of fortune to another, that she would
be the mother of numerous children who would prosper
in the world
to a third, that she would live long and
happily with a husband who would love and cherish her
to a fourth, that her family was destined to attain much
honour and dignity and so forth. She then distributed
among them leaves of betel and the extraordinary eager-
ness with which these were received clearly proved that
Beaming with
great value was attached to them as relics.
joy, these women then withdrew, each in the full hope that
the promised blessings of wealth and happiness would be
showered on her and hers.
During the whole procession, which was a very long one,
Her looks were
the widow preserved a calm demeanour.
serene, even smiling
but when she reached the fatal place
;
;
;
;
;
!
;
1
Several travellers have said, and I
am
inclined to believe
it,
that