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History of Women in India |
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The status of women in India has gone through a great many changes over the past few millennia. From a largely unknown position in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the journey of history of women in India has been eventful. But In spite of the efforts and movements, even today Indian women have a status that is mostly subordinate to men. Women in India still have a subsidiary position in relation to men from birth to work to even death.
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Some scholars believe that in ancient India, women relished equal status with men in all fields of life. However, some others have contrasting ideas. Works by ancient Indian grammarians such as Katyayana and Patanjali suggest that women were given equal education as men in the early Vedic period. Rigvedic verses suggest that women married at a mature age and were perhaps free to select their own husbands. Scriptures such as Upanishads and Rig Veda mention several women seers and sages. The most notable among them are Gargi and Maitreyi. The ancient history of women in India shows that in ancient India women have a respectable and honorable position. The position of women detoriate in later vedic period and in the middle ages.
The position of women in Indian society deteriorated further during the medieval period. Child marriages, Sati and ban on widow remarriages became part of social life in India. The Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent breathed in the purdah practice in the Indian society. Among the Rajputs of Rajasthan, the Jauhar was very popular. In some parts of India, the Devadasis or the temple women were exploited sexually. Polygamy was widely practised. For the Hindu Kshatriya rulers polygamy was a part of their lifestyle. In many Muslim families, women were secluded to “Zenana Mahals” or female section of the house.
The Bhakti cults tried to regenerate women's status in indian society. A female saint-poet, Mirabai, was one of the most important Bhakti movement figures. Shortly after the Bhakti movement, Guru Nanak, the first guru of Sikhs also preached the message of equality between men and women. The course of history of women in India comes under a critical review and transformation during the British rule. In the 19th century European scholars observed Hindu women are "more virtuous" and "naturally chaste" than other women. Reformers like Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Jyotirao Phule fought for the betterment of women. Raja Rammohun Roy's efforts led to the abolition of the practice of Sati in 1829. With the efforts of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar the Widow Remarriage Act of 1856 was passed.
Women in indpendent India now participate all activities such as education, media, service sectors, politics, art and culture, science and technology. The Constitution of India also ensures no discrimination by the State, equality of women, equality of opportunity and equal pay for equal work . This is the course the history of women in India has taken.
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