Written by: Niva Shrestha - 30017, Grade V
Posted on: 02 November, 2022
In the history of Nepal, the Changu pillar inscription of 464 A.D mentions the custom of sati. Sati Pratha started when nine of King Pratap Malla's wives were killed/burned alive in his funeral pyre. This evil custom was followed in Nepal for forty-three years. When the husband's death occurs the wives, the concubines and female slaves were forced to become sati. At first, the women were willing to do it, but as the custom continued, they were forced.There were many believes about why the women's had to sacrifice their lives after their husband's death one of them was that the husband needed all the worldly belongings like wives also after the husband's death, there was also another belief that the woman's/widow life was worthless after her spouse has died. Many women were burned or buried alive at her spouse's funeral.
On Prime Minister Chandra Shamsher's 58th birthday, finally, Nepal enforced legislation abolishing the long-standing horrible custom of sati on the 8th of July 1920 A.D, this was how Sati Pratha ended in Nepal.
