Kuri-mar

Kuri-mar (or Kudi-mar)[1] is a Punjabi phrase which literally means "girl killer".[2][3] It may refer to the practice of female infanticide which existed prior to 19th century in parts of India.[4] The practice was banned by Guru Govind Singh around 1699 and he prohibited his followers from associating with its practitioners. Later, various rehat-namas including the Sikh Rehat Maryada prohibited the practice.[5][6] Today, the term also encompasses female foeticide and may refer to North-western regions of India which have skewed gender ratios.[2]

Overview

According to W. H. McLeod, prior to 19th century female infanticide was practiced by some Sikh sects. The British had attempted to stop the practice. The midwives used to be instructed to kill a baby if she was a girl. The typical methods were to choke it on placental blood, strangulation, poisoning with akk da doodh (Calotropis procera) or burying alive. This practice was prevalent in the Bedi clan who had high social status. This practice arose from the tradition of hypergamy, that daughters must marry into a higher got. The Bedi clan being at the top killed their daughters and focused on raising sons, who could marry women from lower gots. Later, various rehat-namas including the Sikh Rehat Maryada prohibited the practice.[4][3][7]

In 1699,[6] Guru Govind Singh, while baptizing, had prohibited the new followers from marrying, eating or sitting with five clans or sects. The clans or sects were - Mina D'hirmal, the descendants of Pirthi Mal who tried to poison Guru Arjun, Musandia, who proclaimed themselves gurus and followed heterodox doctrines, Ram Rayi, the descendants of Ram Ray, who caused the death of Guru Tegh Bahadur, Kudi Mar, who destroyed their own daughters, and Bhadani, who shaved their head and beard.[5][8][1] The Sikh Rehat Maryada, published in 1950, prohibits the practice strictly.[9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Horace Hayman Wilson; Reinhold Rost (1862). Essays and Lectures Chiefly on the Religion of the Hindus by the Late H. H. Wilson: Miscellanuous essays and lectures. 2. Trubner. pp. 148–149. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 Tulsi Patel (2007). Sex-Selective Abortion in India: Gender, Society and New Reproductive Technologies. SAGE Publications. p. 242, 419. ISBN 978-0-7619-3539-1. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 Veena Talwar Oldenburg; Veena Talwar (2010). Dowry Murder: Reinvestigating A Cultural. Penguin Books India. p. 23. ISBN 978-0-14-306399-5. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  4. 1 2 W. H. McLeod (24 July 2009). The A to Z of Sikhism. Scarecrow Press. pp. 65–66, 119. ISBN 978-0-8108-6344-6. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  5. 1 2 Quintin Craufurd (1817). Researches Concerning the Laws, Theology, Learning, Commerce Etc. of Ancient and Modern India. - London, T. Cadell & W. Davies 1817. T. Cadell & W. Davies. pp. 344–345. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  6. 1 2 Amardeep S. Dahiya (1 December 2013). Founder of the Khalsa: The Life and Times of Guru Gobind Singh. Hay House, Inc. p. 146. ISBN 978-93-81398-61-6. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  7. ↑ Kamlesh Mohan (2006). Towards Gender History: Images, Identities, and Roles of North Indian Women with Special Reference to Panjab. Aakar. pp. 37, 52. ISBN 978-81-87879-65-7. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  8. ↑ Later Mughal. Atlantic Publishers & Distri. p. 81. GGKEY:127HGC10PTU. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  9. ↑ Pashaura Singh; Louis E. Fenech (27 March 2014). The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies. OUP Oxford. p. 620. ISBN 978-0-19-100411-7. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
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