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Fiza Pathan
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Until Death Do Us Unite: Short Story Kindle Edition

by Fiza Pathan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.9 out of 5 stars 11 ratings
In a village somewhere in the Thar desert, in mid-nineteenth century India, the revered Thakur Ram Singh has just died. He will be laid to rest according to traditional Hindu rites. But will he be the only one who will be cremated on the funeral pyre that day?

Meanwhile, a Church dignitary and a band of British soldiers from the nearby cantonment casually observe the proceedings as they unfold—until they are joined by a young, spirited seminarian. His name is Brother Jack and he has chosen to interfere. His spontaneous action will result in certain death, a revolt against the Crown, or a major change in the course of his life.

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  1. Print length
    24 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    February 11, 2020
  5. File size
    1.8 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B084R8PDRT
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 11, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.8 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 24 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 out of 5 stars 11 ratings

About the author

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Fiza Pathan

Fiza Pathan

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Fiza Pathan has a bachelor’s degree in arts from the University of Mumbai, where she majored in history and sociology with a first class. She also has a bachelor’s degree in education, again with a first class, her special subjects being English and history.

Fiza has written and published seventeen award-winning books and short stories, which reflect her interest in furthering the cause of education and in championing social issues. In over seventy literary competitions, she has placed either as winner or finalist, chief among them being: 2020 DBW Awards; 2020 Writer's Digest Self-Published E-Book Awards; 2018 DBW Awards; Killer Nashville 2018 Silver Falchion Award; 2018 IAN Book of the Year Awards; 2018 Book Viral Millennium Book Awards; Readers’ Favorite Book Awards; Reader Views Literary Awards; Eric Hoffer Book Award; Foreword Reviews Indie Fab Book Awards; Mom’s Choice Awards; Literary Classics Book Awards; and Dan Poynter’s Global E-Book Awards. She lives with her maternal family, and writes novels and short stories in most genres. You may follow her on Twitter @FizaPathan and visit her blog https://insaneowl.com/feed/

Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
11 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • W.S.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Short Story
    Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Fiza Pathan is wonderful writer.

    This is a short story about the (now outlawed) Hindu custom of sati. Before sati was outlawed during Queen Victoria's reign, if a wife's husband died, the wife would be burnt and cremated in a funeral pyre with her deceased husband.
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  • Beem Weeks
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another Fantastic Story from an Accomplished Writer
    Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2020
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    I have become a fan of author Fiza Pathan's work over the past year or so. This is a writer skilled in the art of telling a great story. Whether it be her autobiographical essays, or one of her many short stories, Miss Pathan knows how to hold the readers attention. She accomplishes this with her recent short story entitled Until Death Do Us Unite.

    This quick read pulls the reader into the tale of ancient Indian customs, India under British rule, and true love finding its place in the world. After the death of the revered Thakur Ram Singh, both of the man's living wives are sentenced to die atop his burning funeral pyre—even though both women are still very much alive. While the older of the two wives views this as an honor, the horror of death by immolation doesn't sit well with the younger wife, who is just sixteen years old.

    As the flames begin to claim its victims, the younger wife struggles to break free of this death sentence. The events play out in front of a small group of British men, one of whom is in training to become a Catholic priest. It is this man, Jack White, who does what is unthinkable in ancient Indian culture—he breaks rank with his group and seeks to save this poor soul from a painful end.

    I won't tell you whether or not he is successful. You'll have to read the story for yourself. What I will say is, grab a copy of this story today. Pathan is a talented as any writer in the market today.
    One person found this helpful
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  • L D Tanner
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping Story that Leaves a Lasting Impact
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2020
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    The excerpt to the short story, "Until Death Do Us Unite," about a young wife who would be burned along with her dead husband on a funeral pyre drew my curiosity. The story takes place in mid-nineteenth century India at the height of the British Empire. The story begins with a procession of Hindu men and women attending a funeral. Some of them are carrying the body of the rich landlord, the revered Thakur Ram Singh who has died peacefully in his sleep. He is to be laid to rest according to traditional Hindu customs. That includes burning his aged and teenage wives on the funeral pyre that day. At a distance, British soldiers casually observe the proceedings as they unfold. They are soon joined by a young man from the seminary who is horrified by what is happening. His impulsive action to interfere could cause a revolt and change the course of his life.

    Author Fiza Pathan has woven a poignant tale told from various perspectives to give insight into traditional Hindu beliefs and the consequences of interfering with the custom. It is a heart-wrenching story to learn of the young wife's abuse at the hands of her husband. Yet, she is considered nothing without her husband and must unite with him in death. From this horror springs forth a love story that will grip your heart.

    "Until Death Do Us Unite" is a quick read that leaves a lasting impact. Highly recommended.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Joy Nwosu Lo-Bamijoko
    5.0 out of 5 stars Immolated!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2020
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    This was a beautiful story, told with passion and love about a Hindu custom that required a wife to be burned alive on the pyre of her dead husband.

    Thakur Ram Singh, a wealthy landlord died at a ripe old age. Before his death, he had married a young underaged girl, whom he constantly raped and allowed his seven sons to rape. He died and this poor girl was supposed to be burned alive with him so that they would be united in the afterworld. His aged wife, the mother of all his children was happy to perish with him, but the young wife, whom he’d married only a year before was wailing and fighting for dear life.

    Her savior came in the form of a seminarian named Brother Jack, her knight in the shining armor. He saved her but… that changed everything. Both the girl named Bhurri and the seminarian named Jack saw their lives turned around. Short of creating a spoiler for this story, I will stop and let others read and enjoy the beautiful ending. Kudos to the author, a great storyteller.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Karen Ingalls
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read
    Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2020
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    In this short story the reader learns about the ancient Hindu custom called sati. It is the practice of the widow being burned alive next to her dead husband. The husband and wife will now spend eternity together. This custom is no longer practiced except for a few isolated cases.
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  • Geraldine Winters
    5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful and Moving
    Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2025
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    Until Death Do Us Unite by author Fiza Pathan transports the reader into a tumultuous period of colonial India under the British Empire in the nineteenth century. A momentous clash of ancient Hindu customs and Western influence come to light during a shocking incident where tradition, principles, religious practices, and one’s own faith are brought into question.

    As the story unfolds, the author’s brilliance is demonstrated in her ability to elicit strong emotions through the power of her writing. A full range of feelings are experienced in this story’s detailed and moving scenes, from the very onset to the last turn of the page. The specific incident that sets the stage for the story’s conflict brings into question the power of culture, tradition, and morals. History has seen entire countries in revolution when any of those values are questioned or even broken. This exceptional story captures a glimpse of such an incident and what transpired afterward through historical fact. This is a powerful, emotional story by a very talented author and is highly recommended.

    Educational and inspiring, other well recommended works by Fiza Pathan are Caste Metal and My Sweet Lord.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Reet Singh
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hard hitting
    Reviewed in India on May 27, 2025
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    Fiza Pathan at what she does best: tell stories of vulnerable and marginalized communities, and remind us that all our freedoms are hard won.
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  • Anonymous
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterful Historical Craft
    Reviewed in India on November 17, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Until Death Do Us Unite is a deeply moving story that offers a real experience of a horrifying bygone practice: the forced immolation of a widow alongside her deceased husband. For those of us living in post-reform India, it is almost inconceivable that such a custom existed merely two centuries ago. Known as Sati, the practice derives its name from the Sanskrit word meaning "virtuous woman." It was rooted in an inhumane belief that equated a widow's ultimate loyalty to her husband with her willingness to embrace death alongside him.
    The author masterfully crafts a cinematic narrative, portraying the public enactment of this cruel ritual following the death of Thakur Ram Singh. The story takes an unexpected turn when a courageous prospective priest dares to intervene, risking his own safety to challenge the custom.
    The monologue of Thakur's young widow, recounting her life after marriage, is profoundly disturbing. Her experiences lay bare the oppression women endured under the guise of cultural tradition. Though I have read extensively about Sati and Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s crusades to abolish it, Fiza’s narration surpasses anything I’ve read. It is raw, evocative, and unforgettable.

    This story is difficult to digest, but it is an essential read for anyone who values women's freedom and dignity. It serves as a reminder of how far we have come—and how far we must still go—in the fight for equality and justice.
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  • E.S.SIVAKUMAR
    5.0 out of 5 stars SHORT STORY
    Reviewed in India on November 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Another interesting short story by Fiza Pathan. She has taken the readers to earlier centuries and depicted the practices of people in those era. The language is simple and crisp. The characters are well defined and are well etched in the memory of the readers. Mangalam Shiva liked reading this story.
    Shivkumar.
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