The need for social and religious reform manifested as a result of coming in contact with western culture and education that created a new awakening amongst the social reformers of 19th century India. It was only in the year 1829 that sati was legally abolished by the Bengal Provincial Government through the joint efforts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and William Bentinck, the then Governor General of India.

However, opposition to this act was equally strong and the practice was highly criticised for its atrocious and oppressive character.

These cultural beliefs around this practice were aggressively supported and propagated by fundamentalist religious groups and locals alike, and thus became an important source for reinforcing oppressive customs against Hindu widows. Women were indoctrinated to believe that their destiny lay in committing their lives to their husbands even after death. This custom was definitive of Hindu tradition for a very long time. Another commonly used term is ‘Satipratha’ which signified the custom of burning widows alive. The term ‘Sati’ also often referred to as ‘suttee’, translates to a “chaste woman” in Hindi and Sanskrit texts. Over time, this practice became widespread in northern and central India and especially among the Rajput, in the state of Rajasthan. The practice of sati as is known today was first recorded in 510 CCE in an ancient city in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The practice of sati (widow burning) has been widespread in India since the reign of the Gupta Empire. One such practice associated with widowhood, that has been immensely debated and contested on grounds of culture and systematic oppression is the system of sati.

Especially among the upper caste Hindus, widowhood meant subjection to various orthodoxies and exploitation throughout their lives. Throughout history, the precarious position of widows has been well known.

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