The ritual of Sati – Burning alive of widow along with the Deceased Husband in 14th century India by Ibn Battuta

The Ritual of Sati in India

“ Two days later we reached Ajudahan (now Pakpattan in Pakistan), a small town belonging to the pious Sheikh Farid ad-din. As I returned to the camp after visiting this personage I saw the people hurrying out and some of our party along with them. I asked them what was happening and they told me that one of the Hindu infidels have died, that a fie has been kindled to burn him and his wife would burn herself along with him. After the burning my companions came back and told me that she had embraced the dead man until she herself was burned with him. Later on I often used to see a Hindu woman richly dressed riding on horse-back followed both by Muslims and infidels and preceded by drums and trumpets. She was accompanied by Brahmans who are the chiefs of the Hindus. In the sultan’s dominion they ask his permission to burn her, which he accords them. The burning of the wife after the death of her husband is regarded as a commendable act, but is not compulsory. When a widow burns herself, her family acquire a certain prestige by it and gain a reputation for fidelity. A widow who does not burn herself dresses in coarse garments and lives with her own people in misery, despised for her lack of fidelity but she is not forced to burn herself.”

“Once in the town of Ajmari (Amjhera near Dhar), I saw three women whose husbands had been killed in battle and two had agreed to burn themselves. Each one had a horse brought to her mounted it, richly dressed and perfumed. In her right hand she held a coconut with which she played and in her left hand a mirror in which she looked at her face. They were surrounded by Brahmans and their own relatives and were preceded by drums, trumpets and bugles. Everyone of the infidels said to them, “Take greetings from me to my father, or mother or brother” and they would say “Yes” and smile at them. I rode out with my companions to see the way the burning was carried out.”

“ After three miles we came to a dark place with much water and shady trees, among which there were four pavilions each containing a stone idol. Between the pavilions there was a basin of water over which a dense shade was cast by trees so thickly set that the sun could not penetrate them. The place looked like a spot in hell-may God preserve us from it! On reaching these pavilions the women descended to the pool, plunged into it divested themselves of their clothes and ornaments which they distributed as alms. Each one was then given an un-sewn garment of coarse cotton cloth and tied part of it around their waists and part around their heads and shoulders. The fire had been lit in this basin in a low lying spot and oil of sesame poured over them, so that the flames were increased. There were about fifteen men with faggots of thin wood and about ten others with heavy pieces of wood, and the drummers and trumpeters were standing by, waiting for the women to come. The fire was screened off by a blanket held by some men so that the women may not be frightened by the sight of it. I saw one of them on coming to blanket, pulled it violently out of the men’s hands and saying to them with a smile, “Do you frighten me with the fire? I know that it is a fire so let me alone”. Thereupon she joined her hands above her head in salutation to fire and cast herself into it. At the same moment the drums, trumpets and bugles were sounded, the men threw their firewood on her and others put the heavy wood on top of her to prevent her from moving, the cries were raised and there was a loud clamor. When I saw this I had all but fallen off my horse, if my companions had not quickly brought water to me and laved my face, after which I withdrew”.

Also Read:

The travels of Ibn Battuta: How was Cairo in 14th century.

The Travels of Ibn Battuta: The city of Baghdad during 14th century.

Ashok The Great: “Only Those Kings Need to Maintain Large Armies Who are Not Liked by Their People”.