Gender, Caste, and Religious Identities Restructuring Class in Colonial Punjab

by Malhotra, Anshu

• ISBN13: 9780195656480
• ISBN10: 0195656482
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-03-28
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The book studies the interplay of gender, caste, and religious identities in colonial Punjab. It focuses on the middle-class and how it brings into play gender and caste norms to counter the erosion of its economic advatages, and the subservience of its social and religious institutions under colonialism.

Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations
Introduction	p. 1
Sources	p. 6
Gender, Caste, and Religious Identities in Punjab	p. 15
Caste and Colonial Intervention	p. 16
The Colonial Gaze and Punjabi Society	p. 24
Insecurity and Ambition: The High Caste, Middle Class Elite of Punjab	p. 34
Caste, Gender, and the Arya Samaj Movement in Punjab	p. 38
Caste, Gender, and the Singh Sabha Movement in Punjab	p. 41
'Killing', 'Gifting' or 'Selling' Daughters: The Pressures on a High Caste Identity	p. 47
Infanticide, Hypergamy and Marriage Expenses	p. 49
'Takka', 'Vatta', vs. Marriages of 'Pun'	p. 61
Jhagrras/Kissas and the Spread of the Reformist Message	p. 71
Ascetic Widowhood or Widow Remarriage? Dilemma for the New Punjabi Elite	p. 82
The Widow and High Caste Status	p. 84
Containing a Widow's Sexuality	p. 88
Economic Marginality of a Widow	p. 97
The Attractions of Asceticism and Public Service	p. 104
Assertion of Agency: Widow Savitri Devi	p. 110
Controlling Women: Recreating the Pativrata Wife as the Ideal Upper Caste Woman	p. 116
Pativrata and the Iconization of the Husband	p. 121
The Serving Lachhmi - Placing the Pativrata in the Family	p. 131
The Making of the Pativrata: Education a Double-Edged Weapon	p. 144
Fragmentary, but Powerful Voices	p. 155
Powerful Women-Fearful Men: Reforming Women's Popular Culture	p. 164
Reproduction, Barrenness, and Visiting Holy Men	p. 170
Women's Sexuality, Holy Men, and the Reformist Intervention	p. 179
Women's Culture and Power: Attempts at Women's Confinement	p. 191
Conclusion	p. 200
Bibliography	p. 205
Index	p. 220
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