... a sacred duty but a high priviledge(Stein, p. 222). For those who did not take part in this practice, the life of a Hindu widow was a very restricted one. A census conducted in 1881 showed that one-fifth of all women were widows, so these restrictions were very important. The Dharmashashra of Manu (a Hindu text) talks about how a Brahmin widow should act stating, but she may never ... mention the name of another man after her husband has died.(Stein, p.94) As child brides were common in the Subcontinent, one often saw young widows unable by ... women's educational facilities). Although ...

• Word Count: 1785
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... few jarring notes in every society, curious people and situations that defy the norms. But by being liberal and open-minded, we grant them as much freedom to exist as the 'normal' does. Back in school, our fifth grade textbooks would also remind us that 'India is a diverse country ... '. While growing up, however, our definition of 'diverse' grew taut and rigid. Otherwise, why would heads turn at a gay couple holding hands in the streets ... from taking up engineering, going to a party in a dress or learning to drive and having their individual bank accounts. But who will...

• Word Count: 1486
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... of a prophecy, which warned him that Siddhartha would either become a great ruler of his kingdom or the enlightened Buddha. Over time, the King worried about the prophecy and wondered if his only son would leave his own home to become a monk. As a young child, Siddhartha began learning about civil and military arts. However, the lessons were unsatisfying to him. Instead, Siddhartha became deeply affected from ... the sufferings of life and began searching for the cause of sufferings and enlightenment. This led him to leave his home and family. He traveled on ... understand himself and ...

• Word Count: 2203
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School