The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c6.28

c6.28

The custom of infanticide of girls crept into some sections of Hindu society during the medieval period. We have seen above that at this time the daughter was regarded as the root of all misery and the source of unending trouble by the average householder. The temptation to do away with her became too irresistible in some uncultured sections of society. The female infanticide, however, never obtained a footing in cultured families. At the advent of the British rule the custom seems to have prevailed to a slight extent in some lower sections of society, but its extent has been very much exaggerated due to the prejudiced, if not malicious, reports of some foreign writers. That the evil was confined to a microscopic minority in society will become abundantly clear when we note that at each of the last five censuses the females between the age period 1-5 have exceeded the males of the same age. This will become clear from the following table : --