When was the Hindu Widow Remarriage Act Passed?
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 9th, 2023
The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act was passed in the year 1856. The act legalized the remarriage of Hindu widows. It was passed on 16 July 1856 and was enacted on 26 July 1856. The act was drafted by Lord Dalhousie and passed by Lord Canning before the Revolt of 1857. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar played a major role in legalizing widow remarriage in India.
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Hindu Widow Remarriage Act 1856
Hindu society had long prohibited widows from remarrying, even those who were children or adolescents, and all of them were required to lead lives of austerity and abnegation to preserve what it believed to be family honor and family property.
The Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act of 1856 established legal protections against losing some types of inheritance for Hindu widows who chose to remarry. However, the Act required the widow to forego any inheritance she was entitled to from her late husband. The measure specifically helped child widows whose spouses had passed away before the marriage had been consummated.
Facts About Hindu Widow Remarriage Act
- The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act is also known as Act XV, 1856. Under this Act, the Hindu widow remarriage was made legal in the jurisdictions of East India Company.
- Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar played a prominent role in legalizing it by citing Hindu scriptures. The Act was finally passed by Lord Canning on 26th July 1856.
- Before the Hindu Widow Remarriage Act was enacted, widows, especially upper-caste Hindu widows, led their lives in extreme adversities and austerity. For example, they were boycotted from festivals, had to wear white sarees shave off their hair, etc.
- It is known as the greatest social reform after the abolition of Sati in 1829 by Lord William Bentick.
Summary:
When was the Hindu Widow Remarriage Act Passed?
The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act was enacted on 26th July 1856 by Lord Canning. It is also known as the Hindu Widow Remarriage Act of 1856, supported by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act of 1856 is considered an important social reform for women’s empowerment since the abolition of Sati in 1829. The Widow Remarriage Act was passed shortly before the revolt of 1857 in India.
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