© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Journalism of Courage
Premium
Beyond Trending: What is honour?
The mindset that treats women as property permeates almost all aspects of their lives: from their behaviour, appearances, to life choices. But how is it inextricably tied to the patriarchal ideology of honour?
Honour-related violence exists across the world. But in the case of India, it becomes entangled with caste. (File)
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor introduced a private member’s Bill in the Lok Sabha to criminalise marital rape. He called its exception in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) a “stubborn remnant of colonial-era patriarchal mindsets that view a wife as her husband’s property”.
The mindset that treats women as property permeates almost all aspects of their lives: from their behaviour, appearances, to life choices. It is manifested in blaming female survivors of violence, including sexual violence, and in ‘honour killings’.
But what explains this mindset? Patriarchy in general and patriarchal ideology of honour in particular help explain it.
Patriarchal ideology of honour
Patriarchy is a system of social organisation. Matriarchy and egalitarianism represent other forms of social organisation. A patriarchal social system rests on defined notions of masculine and feminine based on prescribed norms of behaviour for both men and women. These norms are intrinsically linked to the patriarchal ideology of honour, governed by distinct codes for men and women.
While autonomy, authority, and virility are some of the core attributes of masculine honour codes, feminine honour codes emphasise sexual purity, chastity, and conformity. It explains patriarchal practice of policing women’s behaviour because their sexual purity is tied to the honour of men related to them, their family and even the community and society at large.
Such policing often manifests as violence against women to enforce honour codes. One of the examples of such violence is ‘honour killings’, often for choosing to marry outside the rules of caste or community.
Honour and casteism
Honour-related violence exists across the world. But in the case of India, it becomes entangled with caste. Consider some examples: in September, the bodies of a couple were found in Sonbhadra district’s Hathinala area; last month, 20-year-old Saksham Tate was brutally killed in Maharashtra’s Nanded district; earlier this month, the Madras High Court dismissed the bail plea of a police officer accused in the killing of 27-year-old Kavin Selvaganesh in Chennai.
Story continues below this ad
The list is not exhaustive, but intends to highlight that these are all victims of caste-based alleged ‘honour killings’. Since endogamy is one of the ways to regulate caste identity or caste purity, honour, which resides in the bodies of women and is enforced through the regulation of their behaviour, becomes an important means to ensure compliance and prevent inter-caste unions.
In addition to gender-based inequalities, changing socio-economic status of marginalised communities, particularly Dalits, and values associated with the institutions of family and marriage have also been identified as causes behind honour-related violence. Thus, honour-related violence is linked to not just the persistence of patriarchal norms but also to the perceived attacks on the same.
We would love to hear what you think about this new initiative. Send your comments at ashiya.parveen@indianexpress.com.
Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for November 2025. Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.
Story continues below this ad
Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
