Chapter 7 - The New and Old - Woman Rights

Indian Civilizations - The New and The Old 

India is a culture full of traditions, a mystical country with a very rich and historical legacy for the world. One of the most important subjects of this culture is the woman and how they have evolved in the Indian civilization. Even though the book didn’t talk much about this important topic. I will like to give you a little glitch about one of the strongest topics nowadays, women in the Indian Culture. While the early stage protohistoric agricultural cultures said the Indian subcontinent and practiced female predominance matriarchy as a form of social organization, the subsequent appearance of Aryan male dominance was imposed that would prevail in the native society. One of the greatest features of Indian’s women is their constant and relentless struggle to assert their rights. They have fight against oppression, abuse, restrictions, and etc. but history tells us that this wasn’t like that.

In the Vedic society women participated in religious ceremonies and tribal assemblies. Women in India have been subject to many changes over the past few millennia. Widows were allowed to remarry. They were free to leave their husbands. Women were free to choose their husbands through a type of marriage called Swayamvara. In this type of marriage, potential grooms assembled at the bride's house and the bride selected her spouse. Instances of Swayamvara ceremony can be found in epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata. This continued even in the later period in high-class families. Swayamvara is an ancient India practice of choosing husband. Medieval India was not women's age it is supposed to be the 'dark age' for them. Medieval India saw many foreign conquests, which resulted in the decline in women's status.

The Indian woman’s position in the society further deteriorated during the medieval period. When foreign conquerors like Muslims invaded India they brought with them their own culture. For them women was the sole property of her father, brother or husband and she does not have any will of her own. This type of thinking also crept into the minds of Indian people and they also began to treat their own women like this. One more reason for the decline in women's status and freedom was that original Indians wanted to shield their women folk from the barbarous Muslim invaders. As polygamy was a norm for these invaders they picked up any women they wanted and kept her in their "harems". In order to protect them Indian women started using 'Purdah', (a veil), which covers body. Due to this reason their freedom also became affected. They were not allowed to move freely and this lead to the further deterioration of their status. These problems related with women resulted in changed mindset of people. Now they began to consider a girl as misery and a burden, which has to be shielded from the eyes of intruders and needs extra care. Whereas a boy child will not need such extra care and instead will be helpful as an earning hand. All this gave rise to some new evils such as Child Marriage, Sati, Jauhar and restriction on girl education; it become into existence in that period.

Although, woman’s history have had ups and downs through out the different civilizations, especially in this culture; however, many women excelled in the fields of politics, literature, education and religion. For instance, Razia Sultana became the only woman monarch to have ever ruled Delhi. In addition, in South India, many woman administered villages, towns, divisions and heralded social and religious institutions.