Caste & Widow Re-marriage

The planter in Mysore, Robert H Elliot, (1837-1914)  had ample opportunity to experience ‘the living effects of the institution of Caste’ in the later half of the 19^th century.  He informs us that he was the only European within a twelve mile radius, and ‘had been entirely dependent on a native population for

society’. Thus he developed close ‘intimacy’ with the natives , which helped him to empathetically understand their communal and social life.  His observation of widow remarriage is as follows. From his account, the modern story of  ‘reformers’ taking up cudgels against the  ‘age-old prohibition of widow-remarriage’, must be re-examined. It looks like modernity  is also in need of MYTHS.

Quote:  “Before closing this branch of the subject, I may allude briefly to what has been so often attacked by the opponents of caste: I mean the prohibition of the marriage of widows. This rule exists in Manjarabad, but I am not aware that any great moral evil arises from it, as a widow can always contract to live with a man, the difference being that the ceremonies performed are of an inferior kind. This is not allowed to be a marriage, but, in fact, it is a marriage, though of a kind held in rather low estimation. On customs like these, which in a great measure neutralize the evils arising from the restrictions on re-marriage, it seems to me that our information is very scanty, and I am not aware how far the practice alluded to prevails in other parts of India.” (p. 384 of 798)

Then as of now it is mostly one’s choice coupled with the circumstances, deciding whether to remain a widow or not.

EXCERPT FROM

Robert H. Elliot. “Gold, Sport, and Coffee Planting in Mysore.” iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright (From Chapter VIII.  CASTE)