Kerala, Breasts, and the Tax That Wasn't
6 hours ago
- #Kerala History
- #Breast Covering Norms
- #Colonial Influence
- Historical accounts from the 16th to early 20th centuries indicate that both men and women in Kerala, across various castes, commonly went bare-chested, with this practice viewed as normal within the local cultural context.
- European travelers and colonial officials, such as Pietro della Valle and John Henry Grose, documented that Malayali women, including those from royal and Brahmin families, often exposed their breasts, and this was not associated with immodesty in traditional society.
- The upper cloth (a shoulder cloth) was primarily a marker of social status and rank, not specifically a breast cover; it was worn by both genders and removed as a sign of respect in the presence of superiors, indicating its role in reinforcing caste-based hierarchy.
- Missionaries in the 19th century introduced Western notions of modesty, promoting the covering of women's breasts, which led to conflicts like the 'upper cloth revolts' where marginalized communities (e.g., Nadars) sought the cloth as a symbol of dignity and social mobility, not merely to cover breasts.
- The story of Nangeli and the 'breast tax' (mulakkaram) is reinterpreted: it likely refers to a caste-based poll tax, not a tax for covering breasts, and the act of breast-cutting may be rooted in oral history but is often exaggerated in popular retellings.
- The adoption of blouses and covered attire for women gradually became widespread from the late 19th century, influenced by colonial morality, modern education, and changing sensibilities, leading to the current norm where bare breasts are considered improper.