Sugan Kanwar Rajpurohit | Rajpurohit Encyclopedia Profile

Sugan Kunwar Rajpurohit (1931 – 1959) was a Rajpurohit woman from Rajasthan, India, who is remembered for her extraordinary act of self-immolation (Sati) in memory of her adopted son. She is revered as a Sati Mata and holds a significant place in the history and spiritual legacy of the Rajpurohit community and the Ajmer region. Her decision to perform Sati in Vikram Samvat 2016 (1959 CE) is considered to be among the last known acts of Sati in the Rajpurohit community.

Sugan Kunwar Ji was born into the Sothda branch of the Rajpurohit caste. Her father was Buddh Singh Ji Sothda of Kakelav Jagir, located in the Jodhpur region of Rajasthan. She was married into the Thikana Ujoli (Kishangarh), becoming the wife of Heera Singh Ji Sewad.

Sugan Kunwar was the mother of two biological sons — Pratap Singh and Kishan Singh. In addition, she had a third son named Himmat Singh who was her stepson, to whom she was deeply attached. It is said that her love for Himmat Singh exceeded even that for her biological children.

In the year Vikram Samvat 2016 (corresponding to 1959 CE), following the untimely death of her stepson Himmat Singh Ji, Sugan Kunwar made the momentous decision to perform Sati — an act of self-immolation traditionally associated with a widow’s devotion to her deceased husband.

What made this instance particularly unique and historically significant was that:She performed Sati for her adopted son, rather than a husband. She was only 28 years old at the time. The act was carried out voluntarily, with no external compulsion, pressure, or ritual expectation.

When she announced her decision, some community members questioned whether her desire was truly divinely inspired or driven by grief. In response, Sugan Kunwar Ji demonstrated a miraculous sign of spiritual possession by the Sati Shakti. She held burning hot coals in her bare hands without experiencing any visible burns or pain — a moment that left the witnesses stunned and convinced of her divine resolve.

Sugan Kunwar Rajpurohit is considered one of the last documented Satis of the Rajpurohit community. Her story is widely remembered and venerated in Ajmer and surrounding regions. She is honored not only for her spiritual strength and purity of intent but also for making a voluntary, self-aware decision rooted in devotion, rather than ritual tradition or societal pressure.

Her life and sacrifice continue to be commemorated by members of the Rajpurohit community, making her a symbol of courage, faith, and unshakable resolve.

1. Ashes of Immortality: Widow-Burning in India by Catherine Weinberger-Thomas
2. Suicide and Culture 2.0 by Erminia Colucci, David Lester
3. Inscription in Sati Temple, Ujoli
4. Sati Temple and Local beliefs
5. Newspaper