Key Points:
In 1987, 18-year-old Roop Kanwar was burned alive in the Sati ritual in Rajasthan, sparking national outrage.
Following her death, 45 people were arrested for glorifying Sati, but decades-long trials resulted in acquittals.
Roop Kanwar’s case led to the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987, which bans both the practice and glorification of Sati.
After almost 79 years since India broke the shackles and chains of British colonial rule, an unending question arises: Did the chains of freedom truly bring the independence that was yearned for? Can the call to freedom echo equally for everyone—from a child to a man, or even a young widow?
India once harboured the traditional custom of Sati, where a widow was burned alive on her husband’s funeral pyre. Some women chose the drastic end voluntarily, some cooperated due to lack of options available and some were simply pushed with coercion into the pit of fire.
The so-called ritual was condemned by many critics. However, instances of self-immolation continued even after independence.
The last known case of the Sati Pratha was the death of Roop Kanwar, an 18-year-old girl who was subjected to the ritual of self-immolation in Deorala village, Sikar district, Rajasthan. Many believed that Roop performed Sati after her husband’s death with her own free will. However, another narrative suggested that the young widow was forced into the act, having been married for only seven months.
A year after her death, charges were filed against 45 people involved in the glorification of Roop’s Sati act. 38 years later, all the accused were acquitted by the court due to inadequate evidence. The case of Roop Kanwar received widespread attention and sparked massive public outcry in 1987.
The death of Roop Kanwar due to Sati was the last recorded case of the ritualistic practice, but it was certainly not the first since independence. Her death was the 41st and final documented case. It occurred in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan.
On September 4, 1987, Roop Kanwar was burned to death on the funeral pyre of her late husband, Maal Singh Shekhawat in Deorala village, Rajasthan. The 18-year-old girl had been married for only a few months. She belonged to a Hindu Rajput family, and her life took an unexpected turn when her husband, who was himself in his 20s, died an untimely death.
A huge crowd assembled to witness the Sati of Roop Kanwar. Her husband’s family and others claimed that her death was a decision she had made of her own accord to continue the tradition of Sati. They reportedly said that Roop wore her bridal attire and willingly participated in the practice of Sati.
At the time, many people questioned this account and disagreed with the narrative. Even her family initially expressed disagreement and raised concerns about her death.
Her parents allegedly learned of their son-in-law’s demise and their daughter’s death through a newspaper the day after it happened. This raised several questions: Was her death in the act of Sati truly her own decision, or was Roop Kanwar killed in the name of an age-old tradition?
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After Roop took her last breath, she was referred to as the Sati Mata by the people of the village. Even today, people of the village believe that Roop was not just a human being but an ‘omnipresent’ deity. There is a shrine made of Roop in the village where people visit everyday from across the village to pray.
They even offer coconut and chunris at the temple to pay their respect. People of the village strongly believe that acting out the Sati practice was her personal decision.
After the death of Roop Kanwar, celebrations of the act were held in the village, which were widely condemned by many. Along with criticizing the government’s inaction, a letter was submitted to the Chief Justice of Rajasthan requesting a ban on all such celebrations.
Despite the court-imposed ban, thousands of people attended a ceremony celebrating her death 13 days after the self-immolation. During the ceremony, framed pictures and posters of Roop were purchased by attendees.
A year after the death of Roop Kanwar, 45 people, including politicians and her in-laws, were arrested for glorifying Sati. They were allegedly involved in a ceremony where people chanted the slogan, “Roop Kanwar Sati ki Jai.” Her father-in-law and brother-in-law, who were charged with the murder of Roop Kanwar, were acquitted in 1996 along with 32 others allegedly involved in her death.
Out of the 45 people involved in the glorification of Sati case, 25 were acquitted in 2004 due to lack of adequate evidence. Two prominent names among those acquitted in 2004 were former minister BJP’s Rajendra Rathore and Congress’ Pratap Singh Kachariyawas.
Recently, the last recorded case of Sati made headlines again, as the final remaining accused in the glorification case were acquitted in October 2024, while four individuals remain absconding.
Her death led to the introduction of the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987, under which both the practice of Sati and its glorification are strictly prohibited. The act was the first of its kind to also ban the glorification of Sati.
Earlier, the practice of Sati had already been deemed illegal under the British Raj. Lord William Bentinck, the first Governor-General, banned the practice in December 1829. According to Bentinck’s regulation, the practice of Sati was “revolting to the feelings of human nature.”
Under the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, there are two key sections—Section 3 and Section 5. The former deals with providing punishment, including life imprisonment, to those who commit Sati, whereas the latter deals with punishing those who glorify the practice. Glorification of Sati, which includes organizing events or memorials, can result in a prison sentence of up to seven years and a fine of Rs 30,000.
The case of Roop Kanwar is a stark reminder of our past, showing how traditions like Sati were once normalized and accepted as part of societal practice.
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