At a glance
- Jaipur and 1844: the sati bill, the first step against samadhi, the tyag ban and the order against kanya vadh all fall in 1844 (one study gives 1843 for kanya vadh).
- Jauhar and sati differ: jauhar is the mass self-immolation of Rajput women when defeat in war was certain · sati is a widow burning on her husband's pyre.
- The practices: dakan, women branded witches and tortured or killed · kanya vadh, killing a girl at birth · tyag, gifts claimed by Charans, Bhats and others at a Rajput daughter's wedding · samadhi, ending one's life by being buried alive or drowning.
Facts
| Roop Kanwar sati | 4 September 1987, Deorala village, Sikar district |
|---|---|
| Laws that followed | Rajasthan's sati prevention law of 1987, then the central Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987 (Act No. 3 of 1988) |
| Witch-hunting law | The Rajasthan Prevention of Witch-hunting Act, 2015 (Act 14 of 2015); Governor's assent on 24 April 2015 |
Sati: bans, state by state
| Year | State or authority | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1822 | Bundi | Named the first state of Rajasthan to declare sati illegal in many exam books; the RBSE book does not list it |
| 1829 | Lord William Bentinck | Bengal Regulation XVII of 4 December 1829 declared sati illegal in British India |
| 1830 | Alwar | According to the same books, the first state to ban it after the 1829 regulation |
| 1844 | Jaipur | The Jaipur Sanrakshak Samiti, formed in 1839 under the Political Agent, passed a bill against sati, the first legal step; the A.G.G. then asked the Political Agents to press the other rulers |
| 1846 | Dungarpur, Banswara, Pratapgarh | Declared sati illegal |
| 1848 | Kota, Jodhpur | Other books give 1862 for Kota and 1860 for Jodhpur |
| 1860 | Mewar | Law after many attempts, with fines for breaking it; other books give 1861 |
| 1861 | British authorities | Stricter rules: jail on news of a sati, fines, removal of the ruler and the village made khalsa; rulers who were lax could lose gun salutes |
Other practices and the laws against them
| Practice | Year, state or law | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Dakan (witch-hunting) | Mewar, 1853 | Maharana Swarup Singh ruled Mewar then (1842–61); the RBSE book names Maharana Jawan Singh, who died in 1838, acting on the advice of Mewar Resident Col. Eden; other books credit J.C. Brooke, commandant of the Mewar Bhil Corps |
| Kanya vadh | Mewar first, then Kota; Jodhpur rules 1839; Jaipur 1844 | The RBSE Class 7 book and many others put Kota first, in 1833 (others 1834), then Bundi 1834, Bikaner 1837 and Udaipur 1844; Col. James Tod saw dowry as a main cause; cases nearly ended after 1888 |
| Tyag | Jodhpur 1841; Bikaner and Jaipur 1844 | |
| Samadhi | Jaipur 1844; an Act of 1861 | The first attempt, through the efforts of Political Agent Ludlow |
| Das pratha (slavery) | Kota, 1832 | Listed as the first state of Rajasthan to ban it; for British India the RBSE Class 7 book cites the Charter Act of 1833 |
| Child and unequal marriage | Alwar, 10 December 1903 | The RBSE book calls Alwar's law the first; other books give Jodhpur 1885, by Sir Pratap Singh, then Jodhpur's prime minister |
| Sarda Act | Passed 28 September 1929, in force 1 April 1930 | Named after Harbilas Sarda of Ajmer; minimum ages 14 for girls and 18 for boys, raised to 18 and 21 in 1978; replaced by the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 |
| Widow remarriage | Act XV of 1856 | Enacted 26 July 1856, under Lord Canning; Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar led the campaign |
| Dowry | Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 | A central law, in force from 1 July 1961 |
| Sagri (bonded labour) | Rajasthan Sagri System Abolition Act, 1961 | |
| Mrityu Bhoj (death feast) | Rajasthan Prevention of Mrityu Bhoj Act, 1960 | Act 1 of 1960 |
Reform sabhas
| Sabha | Founded | Aims and work |
|---|---|---|
| Desh Hiteshini Sabha | Udaipur (Mewar), 2 July 1877 | Limited marriage expenses and made rules against polygamy among Rajputs; Kaviraja Shyamaldas, who records it in Veer Vinod, was a member; it worked only in Mewar |
| Walterkrit Rajput Hitkarini Sabha | First meeting at Ajmer, 10 March 1888; named in January 1889 | Called by Col. C.K.M. Walter, A.G.G. from 1887; aims: end polygamy, marriage ages of at least 14 for girls and 18 for boys, end tika and reet, and limit marriage and death-feast spending |
Remember: often mixed up
- Dakan or Dayanthe dakan ban is 1853 (Mewar) · the Witch-hunting Act is 2015.
- Marriage ages14 and 18 in the Walter Sabha's rules and the Sarda Act of 1929 · 18 and 21 after 1978.
Test yourself: asked in exams
Protection Officer 2024 · Q18
Which state made the first attempt to stop the evil practice of taking 'Samadhi'?
- (1)Jodhpur
- (2)Udaipur
- (3)Jaipur
- (4)Kota
Show answer
✓ (3) Jaipur
See the full paperCET Graduation Level 2022 · Q4
During the tenure of which Governor General of India, the Hindu Widow Remarriage Act was passed?
- (1)Lord Amherst
- (2)Lord Ellenborough
- (3)Lord Canning
- (4)Lord Mayo
Show answer
✓ (3) Lord Canning
See the full paperCET Graduation Level 2022 · Q8
Read the following statements carefully – (i) In the late 19th century, the Desh Hiteshini Sabha was established in Mewar. (ii) Social reform was the core objective of the Sabha. Choose the correct code -
- (1)Only statement (i) is true
- (2)Only statement (ii) is true
- (3)Neither (i) nor (ii) is true
- (4)Both the statements are true
Show answer
✓ (4) Both the statements are true
See the full paperRAS Prelims 2024 · Q126
Which of the following statements is not true regarding Walterkrit Rajput Hitkarini Sabha ?
- (1)It was established in the year 1888, by the efforts of colonel C.K.M. Walter.
- (2)It was aimed to make reforms for Rajputs and Dalits of Rajasthan.
- (3)Its first meeting was organized at Ajmer.
- (4)The Sabha made social regulations to achieve its aims.
Show answer
✓ (2) It was aimed to make reforms for Rajputs and Dalits of Rajasthan.
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