Jauhar, sometimes spelled Jowhar or Juhar,[1][2] was the Hindu custom of mass self-immolation by royal women in parts of the Indian subcontinent, to avoid capture, enslavement[3] and rape by any foreign invaders, when facing certain defeat during a war.[4][5][6] Some reports of jauhar mention women committing self-immolation along with their children.[7][8] This practice was historically observed in northwest regions of India, with most famous Jauhars in recorded history occurring during wars between Hindu Rajput kingdoms in Rajasthan and the Muslim armies.[9][10][11] Jauhar is related to sati, and sometimes referred in scholarly literature as jauhar sati.[5]