INTRODUCTION One of the faster developing economies as compared to other states of India, Haryana also has been in news for its rigid patriarchal norms and traditions as well as derogatory views and practices relating to women’s interests, rights and freedom (Pal, 2018). It is a state with a large number of ‘veiled women’ (Chowdhry, 1994) and the symbol of seclusion, ghunghat or purdah, creates a spatial boundary between the private and the public domain. The latter being the exclusive preserve of men (Ibid). The status of women in Haryana is very much visible from its poor sex ratio (876/1000) 2 despite claims of improvement in it. 3 Haryanvi society clearly outlines the various gender roles for men and women marked by domestication of women in the private space. Women are usually seen working either in the fields or inside gher. 4 Women in Haryana across all the caste groups dominate in agricultural work (Chowdhry, 1993: A-137). Further Raginis in Haryana: Women Singers, Identities and Transformation 1 RANI TOKAS Ph.D. Scholar Centre for the Study of Social Systems, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (India) Key Words : Raginis, Women Singers, Identity, Transformation RESEARCH ARTICLE ISSN : 2394-1405 Received : 24.04.2019; Revised : 08.05.2019; Accepted : 24.05.2019 International Journal of Applied Social Science Volume 6 (6), June (2019) : 1632-1639 How to cite this Article: Tokas, Rani (2019). Raginis in Haryana: Women Singers, Identities and Transformation. Internat. J. Appl. Soc. Sci., 6 (6) : 1632-1639. women’s work in the fields/ gher is considered an extension of their private space (Chowdhry, 1994). Apart from participation in agricultural work, last few decades have also witnessed women’s participation in government jobs, sports and performing arts as well. As mentioned above, the former is seen as an extension of their private space and the latter is considered as an important source of economic support and upliftment for the whole family as well as the kin group given the declining value of agricultural resource and income sustainability in the last few decades. Being a patriarchal community, property transmission from one generation to the other is governed by patrilineal norms. The prevailing norms also include caste endogamy and territorial exogamy as ‘land should not be alienated outside the group’ and thus daughters and sisters are kept away from the inheritance rights. Another issue is the threat from women’s choice in marriage which may become a potential source of introducing new blood into the descent line (Ahlawat 1. This is an excerpt from one of my chapters of my original Ph.D. work in progress at Centre for the Study of Social Systems, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. It should not be cited or published in any form. This paper was originally presented in Ph. D. Research Scholars’ Seminar organized by CSSS/SSS, Jawaharlal Nehru Universityfrom 26th-27th April 2019 at New Delhi. 2. Second lowest in India and lowest in the age group of 0-6 i.e. 830/1000. Hindustan Times 31.03.2011. Sonepat -853/1000, Census of India. National Health and Family Survey 2015-16 report. Pg.2. 836/1000 below 5 years in last 5 years. 3. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/sex-ratio-at-birth-in-haryana-rises-to-914-girls-per- 1000- boys/printarticle/62488714.cms, 13th January 2018. 4. A space considered as extension of house meant for keeping cattle like buffaloes/cows and also cow dung cakes are made and dried there.