Presented at International Seminar on "In the Name of Honour: A Dialogue on Androcentric Matrimonial Practices and Women's Subjugation in South Asia"

1. Women, Marriage and Inheritance inWomen, Marriage and Inheritance in
Punjab and HaryanaPunjab and Haryana
Paroma SenParoma Sen
Centre for Political StudiesCentre for Political Studies
School of Social SciencesSchool of Social Sciences
JNUJNU

2. Women, Marriage and Inheritance in Punjab and HaryanaWomen, Marriage and Inheritance in Punjab and Haryana
 Honour: Socio-Cultural Dimensions.Honour: Socio-Cultural Dimensions.
 Customs and Patriarchal Norms;Customs and Patriarchal Norms;
Seclusion and Control in Punjab andSeclusion and Control in Punjab and
Haryana; Convergence & Disjuctures.Haryana; Convergence & Disjuctures.
 Marriages: Hypergamy, Polyandry &Marriages: Hypergamy, Polyandry &
Infanticide.Infanticide.
 Honour, Inheritance and Customary LawsHonour, Inheritance and Customary Laws
of Punjab and Haryana.of Punjab and Haryana.

3. What is Honour?What is Honour?
 Material Sources of Male Honour- PowerMaterial Sources of Male Honour- Power
possession and control of money and propertypossession and control of money and property ..
 Non-Material Source of Male Honour-Non-Material Source of Male Honour-
Power/control over family woman/children (inPower/control over family woman/children (in
private); control over ethnic/religion/socialprivate); control over ethnic/religion/social
group (in public).group (in public).
 Male Honour-Male Honour- Recognition of honour byRecognition of honour by
Community/Village Neighbourhood.Community/Village Neighbourhood.

4. Honour and PowerHonour and Power
 Protecting andProtecting and controlling the sexuality ofcontrolling the sexuality of
women of one’s communitywomen of one’s community is done tois done to
uphold honour of community, religion,uphold honour of community, religion,
kinship & family.kinship & family.
 Assaulting the same honour of otherAssaulting the same honour of other
community and religioncommunity and religion through rape isthrough rape is
seen as an expression of powerseen as an expression of power
 At the same time, inter-communityAt the same time, inter-community
violence overshadow the intra communityviolence overshadow the intra community
violence.violence.

5. Incidents of Protection of HONOURIncidents of Protection of HONOUR
 Thoa Khalsa incident reflected upon theThoa Khalsa incident reflected upon the
role of gender in the construction ofrole of gender in the construction of
honour. It was to protect the honour of thehonour. It was to protect the honour of the
community, religion and family that womencommunity, religion and family that women
were killed by the members of their ownwere killed by the members of their own
families (brothers and fathers). Thesefamilies (brothers and fathers). These
women were made martyrs for thewomen were made martyrs for the
protection of honour. Such sacrificesprotection of honour. Such sacrifices
elevated the positions of the familieselevated the positions of the families
among their kins.among their kins.

6. Women’s Agency & Protection ofWomen’s Agency & Protection of
WomenWomen
 In post independence era, the inherent fear of protectingIn post independence era, the inherent fear of protecting
honour was reflected through the introduction ofhonour was reflected through the introduction of
Abducted Person’s Recovery and Restoration Act whichAbducted Person’s Recovery and Restoration Act which
remained till 1957.remained till 1957.
 This forceful restoration of women took away women’sThis forceful restoration of women took away women’s
agency to decide for themselves in cases where theyagency to decide for themselves in cases where they
had reconciled with their lives and settled with theirhad reconciled with their lives and settled with their
abductors in the mayhem of partition of the country.abductors in the mayhem of partition of the country.
 The aspect of impurity and purity of women also playedThe aspect of impurity and purity of women also played
a dominant role in such an Act.a dominant role in such an Act.

7. HONOUR: Land & WomanHONOUR: Land & Woman

8. Peasant Society, Patriarchy &Peasant Society, Patriarchy &
HonourHonour
 As Gerda Lerner says: “In traditional andAs Gerda Lerner says: “In traditional and
peasant societies there are manypeasant societies there are many
recorded instances of female familyrecorded instances of female family
members tolerating and even participatingmembers tolerating and even participating
in the chastisement, torture or even deathin the chastisement, torture or even death
of a girl who had transgressed againstof a girl who had transgressed against
familyfamily honor”honor”[1][1]
[1][1] Gerda Lerner,Gerda Lerner, The Creation ofThe Creation of
PatriarchyPatriarchy (New York: Oxford University(New York: Oxford University
Press, 1986), p. 219.Press, 1986), p. 219.

9. Honour and MarriagesHonour and Marriages
 Marriage of a daughter is linked to honourMarriage of a daughter is linked to honour
and power of the community.and power of the community.
 Marriage continues to be linked to theMarriage continues to be linked to the
caste, community, religion and family.caste, community, religion and family.
 In this region the basis of marriageIn this region the basis of marriage
continue to be village exogamy, castecontinue to be village exogamy, caste
endogamy.endogamy.

10. Karewa System of MarriageKarewa System of Marriage
 Interestingly, the basis of marriages was moulded to suitInterestingly, the basis of marriages was moulded to suit
the socio-cultural milieu of the region. The aspect ofthe socio-cultural milieu of the region. The aspect of
virginity and perceived purity were removed in thisvirginity and perceived purity were removed in this
system of marriage.system of marriage. In this system of marriage a widowIn this system of marriage a widow
was accepted by the brother-in-law either by the youngerwas accepted by the brother-in-law either by the younger
or the elder brother who already had a family.or the elder brother who already had a family.
 Karewa system of marriage was also forced to protectKarewa system of marriage was also forced to protect
and control the widow of the household.and control the widow of the household.
 Karewa system of marriage was not widow remarriage.Karewa system of marriage was not widow remarriage.

11. Inheritance and Customary Laws ofInheritance and Customary Laws of
PunjabPunjab
 Marriage was closely linked to the issue of inheritance.Marriage was closely linked to the issue of inheritance.
 Both marriage and inheritance were followed according to theBoth marriage and inheritance were followed according to the
Customary Laws of PunjabCustomary Laws of Punjab..
 Even after independence, there was a stronghold of customs overEven after independence, there was a stronghold of customs over
the legislated laws in this region.the legislated laws in this region.
 Inheritance was based on the agnatic structure of the society.Inheritance was based on the agnatic structure of the society.
 Customary Laws reinforced social orthodoxies and the customsCustomary Laws reinforced social orthodoxies and the customs
remained gender unjust and took away the agency of women toremained gender unjust and took away the agency of women to
decide for themselves.decide for themselves.
 These customs in the form of law also overpowered differentThese customs in the form of law also overpowered different
religious rules.religious rules.
 Customs safeguarded the interest of the patriarchal structure of theCustoms safeguarded the interest of the patriarchal structure of the
society.society.
 The male honour was attached to this Customary Laws.The male honour was attached to this Customary Laws.
 Honour of the patriarchal structure of the peasant society of PunjabHonour of the patriarchal structure of the peasant society of Punjab
and Haryana continue to mould the laws.and Haryana continue to mould the laws.

12. Honour Killings then remain a manifestation ofHonour Killings then remain a manifestation of
the structural violence of the families andthe structural violence of the families and
communities.communities.
This structural violence has been supported byThis structural violence has been supported by
the customs in the form of customary lawsthe customs in the form of customary laws
practised in this region of Punjab and Haryana.practised in this region of Punjab and Haryana.

13. Crimes in the name of Honour.Crimes in the name of Honour.