Abstract
This paper examines "critical traditionalism," one of the critical theories of Ashis Nandy, within the context of the recent debate about sati, in order to disclose its analytical validity as well as its problems. Sati, the custom of widow-burning on a deceased husband's pyre, is a controversial topic in contemporary India. The incident of 1987, in particular, triggered nationwide demonstrations. Simultaneously, the debate about sati began among Indian intellectuals, on one of the forefronts of which Ashis Nandy has been actively engaged. According to him, although the actual widow-burning must be prohibited, it is also necessary to maintain respect towards women committed to this custom. Because of this argument, the significance of his theory on the debate has been ignored, which has caused misunderstandings of the critical traditionalism which was his unique perspective at that time. The critical traditionalism about sati asserts that sati as a social problem can be resolved by reflecting on "traditional culture"-Nandy's term, useful for the deconstruction of colonialism and modernity in post-colonial India. It is also true, however, that his attempt, to some extent, has not succeeded. Thus this paper points out the certain limits of his argument within the debate on sati, which I argue can be compensated positively by another essay of his from the same period.
