Abstract
The immolation of a widow on her late husband’s
funeral pyre, which became known as sati, is
considered to be the strongest expression of marital
velour that a woman could demonstrate. It was
declared illegal in 1829 by the British. Due to the low
status of women in India, it is often the only way a
widow will be revered following the passing of her
husband and therefore often considered the only option
appropriate. A prominent case of sati that has occurred
within recent years has been the immolation of Roop
Kanwar in the village of Rajasthan during September of
1987. With this case in view, Sati has become a
modern phenomenon, and the reactions towards Roop
Kanwar suggest that Sati is not wholly embodied within
Hindu culture. Supporters of Sati are from the Rajput
community and even then there is a definite line
between the worship of Sati and the actual practice of
it.
Key Words: Sati, India, Roop Kanwar, Hindu Culture, Rajputs
Syed Hussain Shaheed Soherwordi. (2011) he Sati- a matter of high caste Hindus or a general Hindu Culture: A case study of Roop Kanwar, Journal of Political Studies, Volume 18, Issue 1.
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