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The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c10.s3: Tonsure

The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c10.s3

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English

Tonsure

c10.s3.1

The custom of the tonsure of widows, which is a very ugly and unfortunate one, is of recent origin and growth. The motive underlying it was to make the outward appearance of the widow in harmony with the ideal of renunciation (*saṁnyāsa*), that she was expected to follow. Monks and nuns used to shave their heads; it was felt that widows should do the same. It was hoped that this would help in creating an ascetic atmosphere around her, so necessary for her resolution to lead a celibate life. The procedure was calculated to destroy the beauty of face; it was thought that it would incidentally afford the widow a greater protection against the unwanted attentions of undesirable characters.

c10.s3.2

We have seen above that both Niyoga and remarriage were permitted to the widow down to *c.* 500 A. D. The custom of tonsure could obviously have not arisen upto that time. Among the duties of widows which are described at great length in early Smṛitis, the shaving of the head does never figure. Some authorities interdict the decoration of the hair¹; this shows that the hair was there on the head and was not shaved. The widowed daughters-in-law of Dhṛitarāshṭra are expressly described in the epic as having the hair on the head decently arranged¹. There was clearly no tonsure in vogue. Epigraphic evidence shows that during widowhood, the curly hair of women used to become straight²; this shows that only the oiling of hair was stopped. It is thus clear from the above data that widows used to keep their hair, but they were not allowed to oil, decorate or arrange them in any luxurious or fashionable manner.

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¹ न कुर्यात्केशसंस्कारं गात्रसंस्कारमेव च । *Brahmavaivartapurāṇa* 83, 101.

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¹ एतास्तु सीमन्तशिरोरुहा या शुक्लोत्तरीया नरराजपत्न्यः । राज्ञोऽस्य वृद्धस्य परं शतास्याः स्नुषा नृवीराहतपुत्रनाथाः ॥ XV, 27.15.

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² सरलितप्रचुरालकजालकाः । Pehova inscription of Madanapāla, c. 900 A. D., *E., I.*, Vol I, p. 246.

c10.s3.6

When precisely the custom of tonsure came into vogue is not easy to determine. Epigraphic and Smṛiti evidence cited above shows that the custom was not in vogue down to the 9th century A. D. Some Smṛitis, like that of Vedavyāsa, which are probably later than this period, begin to recommend that if a widow does not become a Satī, she should tonsure her head³. The prohibition of Niyoga and remarriage, which began to be fully operative at this period, gave a further impetus to the custom. Medieval writers like Mādhava and Anantadeva recommend the custom, and it is referred to by several European merchants and travellers from the 16th century downwards. It was quite common in the kingdom of Vijayanagar. We may, therefore, conclude that the custom became general from about 1200 A. D. Probably it was first confined to the Brahmana class, and was then gradually extended to the rest of society. It was, however, more common in southern than in northern India.

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³ जीवन्ती चेत्त्यक्तकेशा तपसा शोषयेद्वपुः ॥ I, 53.

c10.s3.8

Among Jains and Buddhists, nuns used to be shaved. The custom of the tonsure of widows seems to have been borrowed from this practice. At any rate it smacked of a heterodox tendency to some orthodox thinkers, and they proceeded to oppose it on that account tooth and nail. This was the case with the Śrīvaishṇavas of southern India, many of whose Saṁhitās prohibit tonsure of women in express and decisive terms¹. The prohibition extends to both maidens and widows. The question of the tonsure of maidens would arise only if they wanted to become nuns, availing themselves of the permission given in Buddhism and Jainism. The opposition of Śrīvaishṇavas to the custom was most vehement; they declare that a woman who shaved her head would go to the most terrible hell; she would become a Chaṇḍālī in a subsequent life. The most advisable course for a widow, therefore, was to continue to have her hair till her death. This opposition, however, was of no avail, for eventually the custom spread even among the Vaishṇavas of south India.

c10.s3.9

¹ जन्मरोमणि या नारी क्षुरकर्म समाचरेत् । कन्या वा विधवा वापि रौरवं नरकं व्रजेत् ।। *Śambhusarihitā*. भर्तृहीना तु या नारी मुंडयित्वा समाचरेत् । श्रौतस्मार्तानि कर्माणि चाण्डालीं योनिमाप्नुयात् ।। *Manusaṁhitā*, (different from *Manusmṛiti*). स्त्रीणां तु भर्तृहीनानां वैष्णवीनां वसुन्धरे । यावच्छरीरपातं हि प्रशस्तं केशधारणम् ।। *Hayagrīvasaṁhitā*. The above quotations are given in *I. A.*, Vol. III, pp. 136-37. The date of these works is probably *c.* 1000 A. D. Their originals have not yet been published.

c10.s3.10

The custom of tonsure was quite common till the end of the last century. A widow was regarded as impure and ineligible for association with religious rites and functions as long as she had not removed her hair. Orthodox people would not take any water or food touched by her.

c10.s3.11

Hindu reformers launched a most determined attack against the custom in the nineties of the last century. Prin. Agarkar's articles against the custom created a ferment in Maharashtra. Society began to realise that the custom, far from protecting widows, was often exposing them to the mercies of most unscrupulous persons. The custom began to disappear rapidly in the first quarter of the 20th century. At present it has practically died down in towns and cities. It still lingers in rural areas, but there also its days are numbered.

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