Origin and Growth of Satī in Early Medieval India: A Historical Investigation explores the historical background and evolution of the Satī practice in early medieval India. The ancient custom of a widow immolating herself on her husband’s funeral pyre—known as Satī—has a complex and multifaceted history. Initially viewed as an expression of devotion and fidelity, the practice gradually transformed over time and was, in many instances, imposed upon widows.This study traces the evolution of Satī from a rare and voluntary act to a more institutionalised and widespread ritual, particularly among the upper social strata. It examines the social and economic forces that contributed to its proliferation, including the emergence of warrior and royal cultures, inheritance disputes, and the consolidation of patriarchal norms.Drawing upon literary and epigraphic sources, the authors provide a detailed analysis of various dimensions of the Satī tradition. They also consider the influence of colonial interpretations, orientalist discourses, and indigenous cultural frameworks. Through this comprehensive and nuanced approach, the book offers a deeper understanding of the complex historical trajectory of Satī in early medieval India.
G.C. Chauhan
G.C. Chauhan is a scholar of ancient Indian history, specialising in social institutions and economic history. He has authored sixteen books and published over seventy research papers in national and international journals. His notable works include Ancient India: Insights into Social & Economic Dynamics (Sanctum Books, New Delhi); An Overview of Historiographical Approaches; Reflections: Looking Back on Social Institutions of Ancient India; Economic History of Mauryan India; Early Indian Feudal Society and its Culture; Agrarian Economy of Ancient India; What Happened in Ancient India, Vol. II: From the Mauryas to 1200 CE; Agrarian Economy of Ancient India (from the earliest times to 1200 AD); Light and Shades of Popular Beliefs in Hill States: A Case Study of Shimla Hills; Indian Buddhism: A Historical Overview; Some Aspects of Early Indian Society; Origin and Growth of Feudalism in Early India (from the Mauryas to 650 AD); and Economic History of Early Medieval Northern India.
Professor Chauhan’s works are widely recognised for their depth of analysis and insightful interpretation of ancient India’s social and economic structures.
Sachin Chahal
Sachin Chahal is Assistant Professor of History at Panjab University Constituent College, Balachaur, Punjab. His research focuses on early medieval Indian history, with particular emphasis on social and cultural formations. He has published more than a dozen research papers in various academic journals and is the author of Society during Harsha’s Times (606–647 AD). He is currently working on a study titled Socio-religious Life as reflected in the Skanda Purana.
Mahesh Sharma
Mahesh Sharma is Professor of History at Panjab University, Chandigarh. He is the author of Western Himalayan Temple Records: State, Pilgrimage, Ritual and Legality in Chamba (Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2009); The Realm of Faith: Subversion, Appropriation and Dominance in the Western Himalaya (Shimla: IIAS, 2001); and co-editor, Indian Painting: Themes, Histories, Interpretations (Ahmedabad: Mapin; Ocean, NJ: Grantha Corporation, 2013).
Mahesh Sharma has been the India-Chair Professor at the University of Tel Aviv, Israel; Senior Fulbright Fellow at the Center for India and South-Asia (University of California at Los Angeles); Fellow, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla; and Visiting Faculty at the University of North Florida, Jacksonville. He was also a coawardee of the Discovery International Award by the Australian Research Council for a collaborative project with the Australian National University, Canberra.