Evil Superstitions of India [19th Century]

In his book, ‘Ramblings and Recollections of an Indian Official‘ by William Sleeman, the author recollects 3 Evil Superstitions of India. These were horrifying superstitions that were existent during the first half of 19th Century India when he was in active service.

I guess you know about Sati, but I am not sure if you have come across the other two.

1. Thuggies – People (gangs) whose profession it was to kill and steal.

The author Mr. Sleeman was acutely aware of the methods of Thuggies because he was the British officer in charge of the office of suppression of Thuggies.

These gangs mostly stole in highways and isolated places. The difference between these gangs and normal robbers is: They kill people first and only then steal.

The author recollects a case where a small thuggie family comes to visit a small roadside Temple built by a poor man, poisons the man and his son, and loots the little possessions available with them. Luckily the man survives to tell the tale to the author.

The author says in his book that the British tried and hanged 1800 such professional Thuggies in just one year. That was the major reason for their decline. I wonder if Indian rulers would have been able to take such a hardline stance.

2. Sati – Burning of widows along with the pyre of their husband’s body.

I guess you might of heard of this practice. I think this started during the medieval times in certain clans like the Rajputs. The Middle Eastern conquerors, once they kill the men and conquer forts used to take all the women as slaves. Sati was probably invented to avoid this.

But some unscrupulous people tried to force this practice in the name of tradition. Actually, as per the author’s account in the book, Sati was chosen voluntarily – in most of the cases.

The British had banned this ghastly practice in the beginning of the 19th Century itself. However, isolated cases of Sati seem to have continued till 1850s without the knowledge of the British.

The author recollects a case where a woman was forced into Sati by her village members. Somehow she manages to escape but accidentally drowns in a river. She was picked up by a boat with British officers and given medical treatment.

Knowing this, the village surrounds the British Officers home where she was treated and demand that she be released. This happens in the night so the officer is unable to get immediate help.

So, tactfully, he speaks to the people in their own language. He tells them that as the death of the girl was rejected by both the fire god and the river god, what right did they have to put her to death?

This pacifies the crowd and they decide to leave.

3. Human Sacrifice – Killing people as a sacrifice/offering to God.

The lesser said about this pathetic practice, the better. One reason why this was practiced was – Childless Women used to pray to God that they would sacrifice their first son if they start giving birth.

Already they don’t have kids. I don’t understand the logic behind why such people would want to ‘sacrifice’ their first-born!

In such cases, it seems, the mothers would inform their kid once they become 10 or 11 years old. The kid is expected to voluntarily go and jump off at certain sacrificial sites (yes there were sites specifically for this purpose).

If the kid doesn’t feel ready for this yet, they were allowed to go on pilgrimages for a few years until they become ready. This is what the author says in the book. Of course, this was also outlawed and abolished by the British.

Two points to end –

• These practices were rare and were practiced only at certain places. It was not as common as we assume. But it was existent.
• We ought to give the British the credit they deserve for abolishing these evil superstitions with an iron hand. I guess some Indian rulers my have also tried, but it was the British who finally finished the task that they clearly couldn’t.

Destination Infinity