Beyond the Shadows: Unveiling the Socio-Political Contribution of Women in Colonial Rajasthan in India

Abstract

The paper deals in Socio-Political aspects of women in Rajputana region during the freedom struggle especially during the 20th century. The authors have read literature of the period and later one to know about the women of the period. Most literature focused upon the Elite women like the Royal Rajput ladies. So, this paper tries to fill in the gap by shedding light on non-elite women including the tribal women. Firstly, they talk about social conditions in which women had to live like Purdah, Sati, Witchcraft or Dakan etc. Women could go to fairs but their outer mobility was limited. After taking a brief view about social conditions, authors try to understand their role in political movements like in Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience Movements, Peasants’ Movements, Social Reform Movements and Prajamandal movements which gives many names like Janaki Devi Bajaj, Ratan Shastri, Anjana Devi Chaudhary etc. Then the paper moves towards Tribal women by briefly discussing their altered social structure which brought them at par with their caste counterparts by diluting their customs and traditions which gave women an upper hand at some places. Their Political participation in Bhil movements and valor of young girls like Kaalibai is also discussed.