Now that I have familiarised you with the status of women in Ancient India, let us move on to the Medieval and Modern Era.
It is sad but true. Medieval India was not kind to women.
The medieval era was marked by the arrival of foreign conquerors like the Mughals and the Sultans. With them, they brought a new culture, one which undoubtedly had repercussions for women. The woman was regarded purely as the property of a man. The concept of maintaining a ‘Harem’ came into practice. Because of the ‘harem’ system, natives of India began furtively shielding their women. This further reduced the social standing of women. The ‘Purdah’ system was introduced as a perceived remedy to the ‘Harem’ system. One might argue that it was necessary to shield women from unwanted gazes, but again, was it not yet another form of subjugation?
Women were no longer allowed to move freely. They were confined to their houses and were now viewed as burdens. Rulers and noblemen married multiple women and also kept slave girls in their Harems. The Rajputs, if defeated in war, were known to kill their wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, and slave girls. A variation of this, termed ‘Jauhar’ was akin to mass suicide where the women would accumulate and self-immolate. This was done to save their honour and prevent them from being exploited by the invaders. It was a custom for the winning army to share the spoils of war amongst themselves. The belongings of the defeated army would be distributed amongst the winning army and women were just part of the bounty.
Evils like the Sati Pratah, Devadasi system continued. Child marriage was also encouraged, to preserve the virtue of women. This stunted the growth and development of young girls. Selected women, born in nobility were given access to education and were exposed to worldly knowledge. Notable women of this era are: Razia Sultana, Nur Jahan, Gulbadan Begum, Tara Bai.
Moving on…
The period post 1750 AD is termed the Modern Era. Pertaining to India, the modern period can be viewed in two parts: the former being the period of the British Rule, the latter being the post-independence period. The status of women improved considerably in this period.
During the British Rule, India saw many changes in her social and economic structures. Social evils like child marriage, sati, purdah, devadasi system, prohibition of widow remarriage were combatted by social reforms and legislations. Women belonging to affluent families were educated and were also allowed a degree of freedom that they weren’t previously given. The quest for independence also encouraged women to get involved in the freedom struggle. This gave them confidence in their abilities and the masses began looking at women as equals. Women like Sarojini Naidu, Dr. Annie Besant, Madam Bhikaji Cama, Vijayalakshmi Pandit were revered for their strength, convection, and selfless leadership.
We now live in the Post-independence era. Women are acknowledged as equals. Several schemes and legislations were introduced to improve the socio-economic standing of women, right after attaining freedom from the British. Many women were seen in positions of power. Now, there is no vocation that has remained unexplored by women. The status of women has improved by leaps and bounds. But I feel that a lot of work is yet to be done!
Social evils like female infanticide, exploitation, discrimination, and child marriage continue to plague our society. Many females are still not allowed access to education.
The most pressing issue for women in today’s age and time is inequality at the workplace and various forms of harassment. A lack of sanitation facilities like clean restrooms and childcare facilities like creches, at workplaces prevent women from working and being financially independent. The gap in pay-checks is yet another discriminatory practice that females are subjected to. Harassment against women is prevalent. Be it domestic, sexual, physical, or mental abuse. Women need to learn to speak up against culprits. They have to realise that they have a voice that ought to be heard.
The good news is that the movement to combat issues faced by women is gaining traction. Many establishments have introduced paid maternity leave, childcare facilities for new mothers. There are several instances of men too, being given paternity leave so that they may help with rearing their child. This reduces the burden on mothers. Many husbands encourage their spouses to pursue their dream jobs and sacrifice their own careers to look after their children. Yet another excellent initiative. So now, we see a paradigm shift. From being a person who had to sacrifice for her family, the woman is now being viewed as someone to make a sacrifice for. Interesting, isn’t it?
Here ends my study of women, through the ages.
Goddess. Homemaker. Scholar. Artist. Ruler. Warrior. Mother. Slave. Priestess.
The woman has been through a lot!
She is strong, she is resilient. She is generous to a fault. She is kind, she is brave, she is eloquent. She is beautiful, she is intelligent. She is witty, she is creative.
She is walking down a tremulous path, with heels!
– Article by Neketra Trivedi ,2nd year, Department of Chemical Engineering