STATUS OF WOMEN IN ANCIENT, MEDIEVAL AND

MODERN PERIODS:
S.C.Dube writes, “There is considerable ambiguity in about nature and status of women in Indian
society. On one hand she is revered as Goddess capable of protecting and wreaking havoc. Ved
Vyasa’s Mahabaratha tell the story of the fall of Kauravas because they humiliated Draupadi.
Valmiki’s Ramayana is about the annihilation of Ravana when abducted and tried to marry Sita
forcibly. But on the other hand she is seen as fickle and fragile, who is constant need of care and
protection.

ANCIENT PERIOD:
Early Vedic period:

During the Vedic periods, women were held at high and respectable positions. No
religious rites could be done without the presence of women. Rig Veda tells us the story of a
Grihaspathi who left his wife because of her impertinency and went away for a penance.
However, God appeared before him and told him that it was improper to do penance without
his wife. Many women were educated and civilised like men. Visvavara was one such
woman.

Girls had considerable freedom in the choice of their husband. Monogamy was a general
rule but polygamy was practised among the royal princes. Marriage was considered a sacred
bond which was not to be broken. However, widows were allowed to remarry if they did not
have a child.

The aim of marriage was to increase the progeny. Prayers for male children were offered.
Right of adoption was recognized. The evils like Sati system, women isolation, purdah, early
marriage of the girls were not practised.

Daughters were never ill-treated even though male children were preferred. They also
received education like boys, child marriage were unknown. Eg: Visvavara was educated of
this period. Some women were engaged in teaching work. Spinning and weaving were done
at home. Women could shine as debaters in public assemblies. But they were denied entry
into the “Sabhas” because these places besides being used for political discussions, were also
used for gambling, drinking and other purposes. The practice of sati is no where mentioned in
Rig veda.

Later Vedic period:

The position of women deteriorated. Many rites and rituals which were to be performed by
the ladies were now performed by the Brahmanas. There was total deterioration of her status
because she was classed with wine and dice as one of the evils of the society.

However, there were still some learned women. Example: Yajnavalkya and Gargi.
 Polygamy and Polyandry were present. Manu had ten wives and Draupadi had five
husbands.

Types of Marriage:

1. The Brahma Form:

The daughter was gifted by her father by decking her with ornaments to a man
learned in Vedas.
2. The Deiva Form:
The daughter was given by her father to a priest who duly helps in performing
sacrifices.
3. The Arsha Form:
The daughter is given by the father to the groom after receiving a gift of a cow or
a bull. This was done to know about the economic condition of the groom.
4. The Prajapatya Form:
The daughter is given by the father to groom after the father saying a hymn, “May
both of you perform your Dharma”.
5. The Ghandarva type:
Mutual love and consent of the bride and groom was the only consent required.
6. The Asura Type:
The groom gives money to the father of the bride. In simple terms, it was like
buying the bride.
7. The Rakshasa Type:
The bride is taken by force by the groom.
8. The Paishacha Type:
The man seduces the girl by stealth when she is sleeping or intoxicated. It was
socially regarded illegal.
Women’s rights were very limited in inheriting property. A
married daughter had no share in father’s property but each spinster was entitled to one-
fourth share. Women had control over gifts and properties received by them at the time of
marriage. As a wife, a women had no direct share in the husband’s property. Even a widow
had no share from her husband’s property.

Epic period:

The women of epic period enjoyed a honourable position at home. Women had been called
the roots of Dharma, prosperity and enjoyment in both the epics. It glorifies the value of
Pathivrata.

Period of Dharmasastra and Puranas:

Condition of women declined : they were deprived of formal education. Daughters were
regarded as second class citizens. Girls were prevented from learning vedas.

Manu, the law giver of indian society gave the statement that women have to be under father
during childhood, under her husband during youth and under her son during old. However, he
balanced this with the statement that a society in which the women was not honoured could
be condemned to damnation.

Pre-puberty marriages were practised, widow re-marriages were prohibited, Sati became
increasingly prevalent, Purdah system and Polygamy came into vogue. Wife was treated like
a slave so, she could not own any property.

Post-epic period:

Arthasastra imposed many stigmas on woman as Kautilya dismissed women liberation, they
became worse-off in the Gupta period.

The position of women deteriorated. Pre-puberty marriages became prevalent. Therefore, the
women could not attain higher education. Polygamy was the order of the day. The facilities of
higher education was given to girls in well-to-do families. They were even well-versed in
dancing, painting and playing on the guitar. Women could participate with their husbands in
religious as well as social functions. Remarriage of widows was socially permissible. Chandra
Gupta married Dhruvaswamini, the widow of his brother. Sati system prevailed, however, it was
not rigid.

Medieval period:
The influx of Muslim invaders and Brahmanical iron laws were causes for degradation in the
status of women during medieval period. Because of the fear of kings and muslim soldiers,
child marriage had come to stay firmly in the society. The birth of a girl child was considered
a bad omen. Girl was treated more as a burden or liability, than as asset. Moreover, the status
of women reduced to the status of slaves.

Jauhar was prevalent in the Rajput societies. In this custom, wives immolated themselves
while their husband’s were still alive. When they came to know that in the battle field with
the muslim rulers definitely they were going to be defeated and their husbands would die,
they all arrange a large pyre and set themselves afire. Thus, they were defending the sanctity
and high honour of women. Even Sati became a better option for widows as a life of a widow
was very worst. Child marriage was a norm in this period. They were married off at the age
of 8 to 10. This child marriage increased birth rate and poor health of women due to repeated
child bearing and high mortality rate of women and children. on account of early marriage
many widows were in the society but were not allowed to remarry. Purdah system became
vogue.

But the great saints like Chaitanya, Ramanujar, Gurunanak, Kabir and others fought for the
rights of women to religious worship and the Purdah system was abolished among Hindu
women due to their efforts. They could attend Keerthanas, Bhajan and discourses.

BRITISH PERIOD:
A distinct change was noticeable when Indian society bore the impact of the British rule and
of new ideas. From social evils such as, child marriage, devadasi system, sati system, purdah,
prohibition of widow remarriage etc., which were a great hurdle in the path of women’s
progress were removed by suitable legislations. Many social reformers voiced against various
taboos faced by women. Pioneer in this was Rajaram Mohan Roy. Through his Brahma
Samaj. He protested vehemently against this. He went to England to give witness before the
Privy Council against this practice. His efforts bore fruits and Lord William Bentinck
abolished this practice by an Act in 1829. So this ugly practice was uprooted.

Swami Dayandha Saraswathi through Arya Samaj was opposed to the practice of
untouchability. He protested against injustice to women and work for the education of them.
He vehemently opposed child marriage, polygamy, purdah system, sati etc. Citing the
teachings of Vedas he proved that women should have equal rights with men.

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar contributed towards changing the status of women is remarkable.
It was the result of his untiring struggle that the government of India passed the Widow
Remarriage Act in 1856. With the purpose of gathering people’s support for the
implementation of this Act, he encouraged his own son to marry a widow.

Even Atmaram Pandurang, Annie Besant and other social reformers helped in bringing many
legislation by the British Government for improving the condition of women.

Indian Penal Code, 1860:

This provide protection to the woman against all offences committed with her body or
property. They included death caused by dowry, offences against pregnant women, sexual
harassment, or illegal trafficking of women, wrongful confinement, kidnapping, slavery,
forced labour etc.

Indian Evidence Act, 1872:

It also provided protection to the woman by inserting certain sections. Court can raise the
presumption in certain offences against women that in the cases of dowry death, court shall
presume that death committed during 7 years of marriage. It means it is dowry death,
presumption as to abetment to suicide by married women.

Hindu Women’s Property Rights Act, 1937:

it deals with the rights of Hindu women, on her husband dying without making any will in
such cases he was entitled to the share of the property as that of son.

Post-Independence period:
Status of women radically changed. Equality of opportunity is provided to women in all
fields. Society has started seeing women in a different perspective. They work as lawyers,
doctors, social workers, managers even pilots etc. There is no profession today where women
are not employed. But still they continued to face lot of problems and they are the victims of
crimes, rape, eve-teasing, molestation, sexual harassment, dowry related crimes etc.
But still no one can deny the fact that Indian women have gradually moved towards self
reliance and independence. Many NGOs are working hard to create urge among women in
post-independent India.

In the political field Smt. Indira Gandhi one of the powerful Prime Ministers gave her
leadership for more than 15 years. Honourable President Mrs. Pratiba Patil, late Raj Kumari
Amit Kaur (minister in the first central cabinet) also successfully fulfilled their
responsibilities.

Women today occupy high ranking post like IAS, IPS, and also in our Defence. Eg: Kiran
Bedi, Thilagavathi, Anna Rajam Malhotra. Many of them like Sania Mirza, Sayana Nehawal,
P.T.Usha have achieved remarkable success in the field of sports and games. Mother Terasa,
Vijayalakshmi Pandit, M.S.Subbulakshmi and Latha Mangeshkar have achieved international
fame.

Dr. Radhakrishnan the late President of India once said “The progress of our land towards our
goal of democratic socialism cannot be achieved without the active participation of our
mothers, wives, sisters and daughters”.