--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "dhamiltony2k5" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Well, nothing in the 'vedic scripture' proscribes this particular > distinction about funeral rites. No separation by gender from > scripture in Shastra and the like, hence this particular funeral part > about gender Jim-crow is not 'Vedic'. It was conceived. "All the relations present, men and women bow to the dead. Finally the corpse is put upon a ladder-like bier of bamboo and borne by four persons on their shoulders to the crematin ground, the priest and the chief mourner (who holds the sacred fire for burning the dead body) walking in front of the bier. Women do not accompany a funeral procession." http://www.nagpuronline.com/people/rit_hndu.html > Not vedic, it was just in the choreography and power-tripping of this > unique event. Keeping the Westerners at bay in a way too. The > Indian movement was respectful when they had to be, but evidently not > as inclusive. Inner and outer circles. You'll notice Nadir Ram > walked behind and was not in their boat? > > It was just part of the story there. Nobody stood up for the women > when it could have been done, except those soldiers later in the > story. Probably as likely that nobody wanted to deal with or work > out the logistics. So it boiled down to: "Just tell them > its 'Vedic', and keep them out". >
