Mother, Shall I put you to Sleep? - An Exploratory Inquiry of Thalaikoothal - A Traditional Senicide Practice

In this research project, we investigate the practice of senicide, known as Thalaikoothal, where senile, elderly individuals, who are chronically ill are euthanized through a practice in certain regions in Southern India. Our preliminary hypotheses suggests that India’s deep-rooted caste system and its attendant practices including the prevalent notions of the virtuous cyclical nature of Karma are at play here for the enactment of this practice.
Our research would involve interacting and collecting stakeholder views from members of the family, communities and community leaders and government officials for an overall understanding the underlying nature of intersectionality of the concept of honor and the dimension of Karma.