This section provides primary sources that document how Indian
and European men and one English and one Indian woman have
described the practice of sati, or the self-immolation of Hindu
widows. Although they are all critical of self-immolation,
Francois Bernier, Fanny Parks, Lord William Bentinck, and Rev.
England present four different European perspectives on the
practice of sati and what it represents about Indian culture in
general, and the Hindu religion and Hindu women in particular.
They also indicate increasing negativism in European attitudes
toward India and the Hindu religion in general. It would be
useful to compare the attitudes of Bentinck and England as
representing the secular and sacred aspects of British criticism
of sati. A comparison of Bentinck’s minute with the subsequent
legislation also reveals differences in tone between private and
public documents of colonial officials. Finally, a comparison
between the Fanny Parks and the three men should raise
discussion on whether or not the gend