S?t?’s Suicide: How the Ideology of Pativrata Sati Destroys Indian Women

by Ankur Betageri (July 2015)

To the memory of my great-great-grandmother, Hakmi B?i,

who was whipped to death by her husband for eating paan (betel leaf).

O foolish race of mortals, that gave gods such jobs to do,

Then went and made them fierce with anger into the bargain too!

What groans you purchased for yourselves, what grievous injury

For us, what tears you fashioned for the children yet to be!

                                               —Lucretius, The Nature of Things[i]

                                                   Trans. by A.E. Stallings