Importance Of Sati

In contemporary times, Sati is rarely discussed as the practice has started to diminish although it most likely still occurs in rural areas. The idea of Sati does have positive aspects such as the devotion that is shown between a widow and her late husband. The beliefs of becoming a Goddess in her afterlife, gaining power and fuel to answer to blessings and place curses. The steps of sati: pativrata, sativrata and satimata, induces a thought of exhilaration for those who voluntarily perform the act of Sati. Over the centuries there has been many cases of the opposite of those who voluntarily perform Sati. Widows in different parts of India have been forced against their true will to become a Sati. These women have chosen the worse alternative …show more content…
Widows who involuntarily become a sati are encouraged by priests, relatives of both family and peer pressure in general. The peer pressure by all factors of people in life try to convince the widow that performing this act will bring them liberation, they will regain their status and they will become a model of pativrata such as how Sati the Goddess once was. The realities of Sati are harsh on woman, and although many laws have been passed there are cases on woman being drugged and forced against their will to go through with such a vile act. Sati has been shaped as a privilege for Brahminic scriptures for modern practices. Mani expresses, “[Brahmins use their scriptures] as the locus of authentic tradition and constituted woman as site for the contestation of tradition (Mani 2)”. Modern times now has been more concerned with the rights of women. Representation has signaled towards the prohibition of widow burning. A modern case of Sati has proved how impacting the act can be on the widow and her family. Roop Kanwar, an 18-year-old female was a victim of the act that is glorified for widows. In 1987, Roop had been married only for eight …show more content…
Hawley reveals that, “this redefinition of sati as a crime is accepted by women opposed to the custom- they deem it to be murder or abetted suicide (Hawley 102)”. The Roop Kanwar case has revealed truthfulness behind Sati, ignoring all the mythology and desired hope to escape being a widow. Hawley states the upraise of responses after the Roop Kanwar case and mentions, “response has come in the shape of active protests, detailed reports of the knowable facts and a stream of analytical articles (Hawley 102)”. As the elevated numbers of feminist groups within the modern world, anti-Sati groups has rose once contemporary occurrence of Sati became known. Sati is one of the biggest crimes against women, as the feminist groups focus on getting the point across. Roop Kanwar being drugged to perform Sati affirms the involuntarily response from Roop. The ritual no longer become a selfless act, but an execution of a murder. Presented by Hawley, he reveals that, “[the minister of state] delivered the government’s assurances that the situation was now under control…and that no temple would be permitted to be built on the site to glorify the alleged sati (Hawley