Sati, also spelled as Suttee, is a practice among Hindu communities where a recently widowed woman, either voluntarily or by force, immolates herself on her deceased husband's pyre. The woman who immolates herself is, hence, called a Sati which is also interpreted as a 'chaste woman' or a 'good and devoted wife'.

Why did they practice sati?

According to ancient Hindu customs, sati symbolised closure to a marriage. It was a voluntary act in which, as a sign of being a dutiful wife, a woman followed her husband to the afterlife. ... So, if a woman had no surviving children who could support her, she was pressurised to accept sati.

Was sati a common practice?

Yang believes that Sati was not practiced by all Hindus but rather by some lineages and mostly by lower-income families. But that did not stop it from being a prevalent ritual. However, the earliest evidence of Sati in India can be found in stone seals and inscriptions known as 'satigals' dating back to 7000 BCE.