Women in India Essays

Women in India Essays Women in India Essay Women in India Essay The status of  women in India  has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. [2][3]  From equal status with men in ancient times[4]through the low points of the medieval period,[5]  to the promotion of  equal rights  by many reformers, the history of women in  India  has been eventful. In modern India, women have adorned high offices in  India  including that of the  President,  Prime minister,  Speaker of the Lok Sabha  and  Leader of the Opposition. As of 2011, the  President of India, the  Speaker of the Lok Sabha  and the  Leader of the Opposition  in  Lok Sabha  (Lower House of the parliament) are all women. | - History Ancient India Scholars believe that in ancient India, the women enjoyed  equal status  with men in all fields of life. [6]  However, some others hold contrasting views. [7]  Works by ancient Indian grammarians such asPatanjali  and  Katyayana  suggest that wome n were educated in the early  Vedic period[8][9]  Rigvedic verses suggest that the women married at a mature age and were probably free to select their husband. [10]  Scriptures such as  Rig Veda  and  Upanishads  mention several women sages and seers, notably  Gargi  and  Maitreyi. 11] There are very few texts specifically dealing with the role of women;[12]  an important exception is the  Stri Dharma Paddhati  of Tryambakayajvan, an official at  Thanjavur  around c. 1730. The text compiles strictures on womenly behaviour dating back to the  Apastamba  sutra (c. 4th c. BCE). [13]  The opening verse goes: mukhyo dharmaH smr^tiShu vihito bhartr^shushruShANam hi  : women are enjoined to be of service to their husbands. Some kingdoms in the ancient India had traditions such as  nagarvadhu  (bride of the city). Women competed to win the coveted title of the  nagarvadhu. Amrapali  is the most famous example of a nagarvadhu. According to studies, women enjoyed equal status and rights during the early  Vedic period. [14]  However, later (approximately 500 B. C. ), the status of women began to decline with the  Smritis  (esp. Manusmriti) and with the  Islamic  invasion of  Babur  and the  Mughal  empire and later Christianity curtailing womens freedom and rights. [5] Although reformatory movements such as Jainism allowed women to be admitted to the religious order, by and large, the women in India faced confinement and restrictions. 14]  The practice of  child marriages  is believed to have started from around sixth century. [15] Medieval period The Indian womans position in the society further deteriorated during the medieval period[5][6]  when  Sati  among some communities,  child marriages  and a ban on widow remarriages became part of social life among some communities in India. The  Muslim conquest in the Ind ian subcontinent  brought the  purdahpractice in the Indian society. Among the  Rajputs  of Rajasthan, the  Jauhar  was practised. In some parts of India, the  Devadasis  or the temple women were sexually exploited. Polygamy was widely practised especially among Hindu Kshatriya rulers. [15]  In many Muslim families, women were restricted to  Zenanaareas. In spite of these conditions, some women excelled in the fields of politics, literature, education and religion. [5]  Razia Sultana  became the only woman monarch to have ever ruled  Delhi. The  Gond  queen  Durgavati  ruled for fifteen years, before she lost her life in a battle with Mughal emperor  Akbars general Asaf Khan in 1564. Chand Bibi  defended  Ahmednagar  against the mighty  Mughal  forces of Akbar in 1590s. Jehangirs wife  Nur Jehan  effectively wielded imperial power and was recognized as the real force behind the Mughal throne. The Mughal princesses Jahanara and Zebunnissa were well-known poets, and also influenced the ruling administration  Shivajis mother,  Jijabai  was deputed as queen regent, because of her ability as a warrior and an administrator. In South India, many women administered villages, towns, divisions and heralded social and religious institutions. 15] The  Bhakti  movements tried to restore womens status and questioned some of the forms of oppression. [14]  Mirabai, a female saint-poet, was one of the most important Bhakti movement figures. Some other female saint-poets from this period include  Akka Mahadevi, Rami Janabai and  Lal Ded. Bhakti sects within Hinduism such as the Mahanubhav, Varkari and many others were principle movements within the Hi ndu fold to openly advocate social justice and equality between men and women. Shortly after the Bhakti movement,  Guru Nanak, the first Guru of  Sikhs  also preached the message of equality between men and women. He advocated that women be allowed to lead religious assemblies; to perform and lead congregational hymn singing called  Kirtan  or  Bhajan; become members of religious management committees; to lead armies on the battlefield; have equality in marriage, and equality in  Amrit  (Baptism). Other  Sikh Gurus  also preached against the discrimination against women.