When and where does it occur? * In certain parts of India, from a very long time and even till around the time the British had rule over India or during the British Indian Empire (Water takes place in 1938) * Sati is a part of Hindu culture and thought from the Vedic age and even Greek writers who accompanied Alexander have recorded this practice in 326BC. * Not as common anymore, considered a primitive ritual now * Although banned by the Indian government, still occurs behind closed doors * Upper-caste widows may not remarry, so many are abandoned by their families after the death of their husband in Vrindavan, "the City of the Widows", a pain ghetto on southern Delhi

Who participates in the ritual/rite-of-passage? * Women or girls of all ages, who have become widows, belonging to an orthodox Hindu family or background * Marriage of young girls to older men is common in India and other traditional parts of the world * Widows=outcasts of Hindu society, no place for them

What are some characteristics of the ceremony? * Becoming a widow is considered a “sin” in Hinduism, for her actions in her previous life for which she is making up for or compensating for, (as this supposedly caused the death of her husband) * Widow has three options:
1. Marry your husband’s younger brother
2. Burn with your dead husband (sati)
3. Lead a life of self-denial

* When being forced to spend the rest of her life in an ashram or institute, she must: * Shave her head bald * Wear a white clothing/sari (symbol for widows), without any makeup, cover their heads with their scarves made to look unattractive, as they could not remarry ever * wear the tika sign of the god Krishna on the forehead * restrictions on food even, given a horrible diet, expected to eat one meal a day * Malnutrition destroys their health, already affected by hardship. * must sing bhajan hymns all day long, around 7-8 hours * Widows taken advantage of and used for sexual gratification * Since they are shunned from society, they are considered insignificant * Also, they are not provided with any income for shelter and food, thus this is used as a means of earning money (Make reference to movie)

* The women are sent here to redeem themselves against bad karma and to relieve their families of financial and emotional burdens * The widow is considered “bad luck” as well to the family

* Some destinies can be extremely cruel. There are old women whose husband died when they were just little girls * 15,000 to 20,000 widows are homeless and some have spent over 40 years in widow ashrams

* The other option is Sati: * religious funeral practice among some Hindu communities * a widowed Hindu woman either voluntarily or by force would have sacrifice herself on her husband’s funeral pyre * The practice is rare and has been prohibited in India since 1829

Does it contain the 7 aspects of coming-of-age listed in the text? * Isolation of the initiate * Hidden from society, as could be potential harm * Physical Changes * Girls do not need to be considered “woman” to get married * Young girls who are still children get married to men who are a lot older * Tests of endurance, bravery or competence * These females are put through a lot of struggles, as mentioned * Teaching and Learning * Young girls or any woman who has recently become widowed enters the ashram and is taught how to live as a widow * Hindu girls in specific cults are taught about sati, and devoting their lives to their husbands * Community * Sati is performed publicly, people of the community all watch the widow burn herself to death and commend her on her sacrifice or bravery

What are some interesting facts about the ritual/ceremony? * The term is derived from the original name of the goddess Sati, also known as Dakshayani, who self-immolated because she was unable to bear her father Daksha's humiliation of her (living) husband Shiva. The term may also be used to refer to the widow herself. The term sati is now sometimes interpreted as "chaste woman." * Although the myth of the goddess Sati is that of a wife who dies by her own volition on a fire, this is not a case of the practice of sati. The goddess was not widowed, and the myth is quite unconnected with the justifications for the practice. What are some examples or case studies? * Seen in the movie Water

What is the final outcome? What is your analysis of why change did or did not occur? * Around the time of the British rule or the British Raj, this practice or treatment of widows came to the attention of the Europeans * Sati was stopped eventually, as it had been banned in territories under European powers, by the end of the 18th century * The mistreatment and numerous restrictions on widows is still imposed * Some still not allowed to remarry, must wear white * Can live in the same household but still sexually exploited by the men living with them

* A more civilized practice has developed: Symbolic Sati * widow lies down next to her dead husband, and certain parts of both the marriage ceremony and the funeral ceremonies are enacted but without her death

Why did you choose to study this particular example of a ritual? * The movie was very moving and upsetting * A lot of people are not aware of this ritual

* Drawn by a European man http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/modules/lesson5/images/sources/engraving.jpg http://news.softpedia.com/news/Living-Dead-Hindu-Windows-69343.shtml

http://sarahhikmah.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/review-and-analysis-of-deepa-mehtas-water/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_(2005_film)

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:qPvWotgdNUoJ:www.suite101.com/content/widows-and-hinduism-a300227+white+for+widows+in+hinduism&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca

http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/modules/lesson5/lesson5.php?c=strategies&s=0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(practice)