Sati: Historical and Phenomenological Essays

The phenomenon of Sati, on account of its dramatic and tragic element, has

always commanded considerable attention. This has not always been

complemented by adequate analysis. Even when the treatment of the subject

has transcended sensationalism, it has not always been sufficiently

nuanced. This book hopes to remedy this situation by bringing to bear on

the topic (whose relevance the recent recurrences of the phenomena have

highlighted) a measure of methodological sophistication which was not

possible prior to the emergence of the History of Religions as a

discipline.

Review(s)

On the whole, the book is a welcome addition to surveys in social history

of India. The essayists have succeeded in provoking future scholars to

probe further the causes of the burning of widows and evaluate the

suggestions of P.V. Kane and Marshman

About the Author(s)

Arvind Sharma is Birks Professor of comparative Religious at Mcgill University, Montreal, Canada. He is the author of numerous books including The Philosophy of Religion: A Buddhist perspective 1995 and classical hindu thought An Introduction 2000.