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This represents that only a small percentage of widows actually followed their husbands into death during this period.

Recent Occurrences of Sati

Very few instances of sati have been reported in recent decades. Most Indian people, particularly those residing in urban areas, view the practice as a barbaric holdover from the past. In some rural areas, however, sati still occurs.

The best-known instance of sati in recent years occurred in Rajasthan in 1987, when the 18-year-old widow Roop Kanwar immolated herself on her husband's funeral pyre. This sensational case gained national and international attention, catalyzing the Rajasthani and Indian governments to pass new legislation intended to put a stop to the practice. Today, sati continues to occur every now and then; two widows allegedly immolated themselves in 2006.

A Well-Kept Secret?

The publicity that surrounds recent reported instances of sati prevents this practice from being kept a secret. Both across India and worldwide, most view sati as an exotic but deeply disturbing custom, so both the practice of sati and government efforts to put a stop to it gain much attention.

Still, certain aspects of sati do reflect closely protected secrets about the influence of traditional thinking on the lives of some women in India. While many Indian women have moved far beyond the roles and status allotted them in traditional Hindu society, the fact that sati remains at the forefront of India's national consciousness demonstrates that traditional mindsets about women remain a factor in Indian society. In some regions of India, women are still treated as appendages to their husbands, and are expected to either follow their husbands into death or to remain chaste throughout their widowhood. Social pressures to commit sati remain strong in certain areas of India.

The continued practice of sati and the steps taken to prevent it demonstrate the depth and complexity of Indian society today. As the world's largest democracy moves toward the future, it must grapple with the great cultural gulfs that have emerged between urban and rural areas. India must find a way to maintain the cultural integrity desired by members of its many communities while at the same time moving away from practices viewed today as discriminatory and barbaric.

Sources:

"India Wife Dies on Husband's Pyre." BBC News, Aug. 22, 2006.

"Sati (practice)." Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S uttee.

"Woman commits 'sati' in UP village." The Times of India, May 19, 2006.

Learn more about this author, Beth Szczepanski.
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