Hi all,

I am looking for sources that explore the age at which a girl traditionally becomes an adult woman (meaning, she transitions into defacto adulthood by the standards of the time) in Hindu culture, prior to the 19th century. I'm already aware of the Indian Penal Code setting the age of consent for marriage for girls at 10 years old in 1860, and the history following that.

In particular I'm looking for primary and/or secondary literature that mention bodily processes, rites of passage, age, or other markers of that transition to adulthood. 

Many thanks!
-sundari



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Sundari Johansen Hurwitt
sundari.johansen@gmail.com
sjohansen@ciis.edu
she/her