In Punjab Daughter Means Disgrace

In Punjab Daughter Means Disgrace

Yogesh Snehi
The Tribune, Sunday, July 20, 2003
Chandigarh, India

SEX ratio patterns in Census 2001 have sent shock waves throughout India. The dramatic fall in the sex ratios in the country, especially in the states of Punjab and Haryana, in the last one-decade has alarmed the demographers and social scientists (see Table). Similar situation prevailed in India during the days of the British East India Company and the Crown. Social Scientists agree that female infanticide has historically been responsible for such an alarming scarcity of females in India.

Major Lake, the Deputy Commissioner of Gurdaspur district drew the attention of the government in Lahore to his discovery (on 24th of November, 1851) of the "prevalence of Infanticide among the Bedis in Dera Baba Nanak in his district". Munhas Rajputs who were superior in plains used to bury the infant alive. It is reported that the body was placed in an earthen vessel and the top was covered with a thick paste. At times, the child’s mouth was covered with cow dung or her head was immersed in cow’s milk. Generally a small dose of opium was given to cause immediate death.

Gender bias against females has a long history in Punjab. The birth of a daughter was mourned and the birth of a son was greeted with joy. The daughter meant disgrace, anxiety and heavy expenditure, whereas the son increased the parents’ wealth and dignity. A couplet recited by the Bedis show their brutality;

"Goor Khaiea, poonee kutteea,
Ap na aieea, bhay an ghutteea"
(Eat your goor, and spin your thread, but go and send a boy instead)

There indeed was "this sense of feeling small, an abasement of the self that occurred at the birth of a girl, could in some cases be extremely humiliating at the time of her marriage." This is narrated through a couplet;

Whoever has not seen a tiger may see a cat,
Whoever has not seen Yama (messenger of death) may see a son-in-law.

The "masculinisation" of the economy during the colonial period made the male child even more desirable. The colonial policy of agrarian commercialisation which led to the establishment in law of private alienable property, the reinforcement of class differentiation among rural people, the monetisation of the heavy revenue demand and the cultivation of indigo and opium besides other cash crops transformed the society of Punjab in significant ways. Accordingly only men could own family property. This led to alienation of ancient right of women in family property. Land was hence struck off from the list of stridhan.

Timely payment of revenue forced the peasants to take loan and in event of failure of crops they sunk into indebtedness. British generated new job opportunities for ‘martial races’ in defense and development. All this and the effects of recruiting in British Indian Army from the ranks of Punjabi peasants, particularly the land tilling Jats, generated a demand for strong young men who would be employed with a cash wage, awards of land and eventually pensions, led to a preference for male children and in those days a family comprising only male children could only be ensured through selective female infanticide.

Another important change took place with the emergence of a ‘middle class’ in colonial Punjab. This had significant impact on gender relations in Punjab. The practices of the higher castes were emulated by the lower castes. Middle class men engaged in intellectual and practical battles seeking superior status devoted substantive energy in reorganising women’s lives, reiterating norms of correct behaviour for them, regulating their behaviour in public spaces, and with the castes and classes marked ‘low’. In the quest for achieving appropriate class behaviour, women were re-situated within caste. Among politically powerful Jats this led to emulating of manners associated with high castes.

This tightened the control over women. On the one hand female sexuality was used to subordinate her and on the other hand the ideal of pativrat’ was put forth.

There is no greater love than that for her husband’s feet/She must worship her husband in her heart.

The question of female infanticide in Punjab needs a fresh analysis and to understand its dynamics and the reasons for its continuity an understanding of the past is needed.