In the early 1800s, women of some low castes in India had to pay a tax called mulakkaram ("breast tax") if they wanted to cover their chests when they went outside of their homes. This type of modesty was considered a privilege of upper caste ladies.
Dear Friends, I have several mails expressing disbelief about the 'breast tax' that was imposed on 'low caste' women. Here are some links explaining this most degrading and humiliating manifestation of the 'unparalleled social abuse of untouchability (A.J.Toynbee )'.
... Avarna women were not allowed to cover their bosom in public. It was part of the humiliating, dehumanizing and degrading practices associated with untouchability and caste that were targeted specifically against the former Buddhist population of Avarnas. ...
http://ajaysekher.net/2012/08/
... At the beginning of the 20th century there lived a brave woman called Nangeli or Nancheli (the beautiful one) in Cherthala. She sacrificed not only her breasts but her precious life itself in protest against the inhuman breast-tax of Travancore that formed the southern part of Kerala in the 19th and 20th centuries. ... But Nancheli cut both her breasts and presented it to the Pravarthiar, the village officer of the Travancore state as he rushed to her house to collect the breast-tax on hearing that she was covering her bosom in public.
The very next day the tax was withdrawn by Sri Mulam Thirunal, the Maharajah of Travancore (1885-1924) fearing public agitations following the death of Nancheli. She literally bled to death after seriously suffering from the open wounds. ...
See also:
http://asianhistory.about.com/
India: The Breast Tax
In the early 1800s, women of some low castes in India had to pay a tax called mulakkaram ("breast tax") if they wanted to cover their chests when they went outside of their homes. This type of modesty was considered a privilege of upper caste ladies.
The tax rate was high, and varied according to the size and attractiveness of the breasts in question.
In 1840, a woman in the town of Cherthala, Kerala refused to pay the tax. In protest, she cut off her breasts and presented them to the tax collectors.
She died of blood loss later that night, but the tax was repealed the next day.
... Avarna women were not allowed to cover their bosom in public. It was part of the humiliating, dehumanizing and degrading practices associated with untouchability and caste that were targeted specifically against the former Buddhist population of Avarnas. ...
http://ajaysekher.net/2012/08/
... At the beginning of the 20th century there lived a brave woman called Nangeli or Nancheli (the beautiful one) in Cherthala. She sacrificed not only her breasts but her precious life itself in protest against the inhuman breast-tax of Travancore that formed the southern part of Kerala in the 19th and 20th centuries. ... But Nancheli cut both her breasts and presented it to the Pravarthiar, the village officer of the Travancore state as he rushed to her house to collect the breast-tax on hearing that she was covering her bosom in public.
The very next day the tax was withdrawn by Sri Mulam Thirunal, the Maharajah of Travancore (1885-1924) fearing public agitations following the death of Nancheli. She literally bled to death after seriously suffering from the open wounds. ...
See also:
http://asianhistory.about.com/
India: The Breast Tax
In the early 1800s, women of some low castes in India had to pay a tax called mulakkaram ("breast tax") if they wanted to cover their chests when they went outside of their homes. This type of modesty was considered a privilege of upper caste ladies.
The tax rate was high, and varied according to the size and attractiveness of the breasts in question.
In 1840, a woman in the town of Cherthala, Kerala refused to pay the tax. In protest, she cut off her breasts and presented them to the tax collectors.
She died of blood loss later that night, but the tax was repealed the next day.
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