Essay On Traditional Roles Of Indian Women

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Madison Miles
World History II Honors
April 17, 2014
Traditional Roles of Indian Women (before and after Leela’s time)

Beginning in the Vedic period around 1700 BCE, women living in Indian society have been documented as subordinate to men in all aspects of life. Throughout Medieval India and up until 19th century women endured a lifestyle of limited freedom. This lack of freedom stemmed from the strict caste system rules about women and the overall male-dominated world India accepted for so long. Traditional society was not a welcoming place for girls, as they endured a confined lifestyle as homemakers. Women were not permitted to have an education, work, choose their own marriages or plan out their own life. However, at the turn of the 19th century the rising concept of nationalism brought social reformers such as Roy Mohan Roy and Behramji Malabari to speak out against unfairness of women. During this period, Indian women began to form their own organizations regarding inequality and became an active participant in the women’s movement. Although women endured hardship and inequality throughout India’s early years, in fact, nationalism gave leeway for male political reformers to speak out against this patriarchal society. As a result, women became a force in the freedom struggle and widened the base for the women’s movement.
The caste system was divided into four Varnas or the literal term of “color”. It began at the top with the Brahmans and worked its way down to the Sudras. The principle of caste is that no one may marry or can “entertain in his or her home a person of another caste” (Caste System, Indian). Furthermore, the caste controlled what one ate. Leela was part of the Brahman caste, which is the wealthiest and mo...

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...viben. She learns that she can “use an education” because the times are changing. Leela is part of the reform movement in her own right, as she realizes wants to become a teacher and break the traditional roles society has set for her. She leaves her small town for boarding school with the desire to break tradition and “accomplish so much” (272). In post independence India, a large number of women’s groups sprang up. These groups challenged patriarchy took up a variety of issues such as violence and a “greater share for women in political decision making”. The nationalism movement in 19th century lead men such as Roy Mohan Roy and B.M Malabari to speak out against female injustice. Their courage and longing to break free from traditional values gave way for women to develop their own groups to touch upon the issues they have to deal with on a daily basis.

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