STATUS OF WOMEN IN ANCIENT, MEDIEVAL AND MODERN PERIOD OF INDIA

Abstract

India is a land of values, morals, heritage culture and traditions. As the word said by Mahatma Gandhi, “We call our nation as mother India and earth as mother earth because the genesis of all rituals, holiness existed in the compassion of a women”. So, in our early Vedic culture there was matriarchal system where the women were the head of the family. So, at that time there was a scope for existence of peace, harmony, happiness and prosperity. But the status of women declined from the later Vedic period where the tradition of kinship only vested to the male heir and prince of that kingdom. Then the same type of typical culture flourished in all regimes of kingdom. So, it led to a patriarchal system, where the family head will be the male but not the women. So, from that time a theory developed that said women were very weak, feared, threatened and mentally sensitive from their birth. Later by the entry of Persian and Muslim ruler from central Asia the women were treated as the people created by the God to fulfill their sexual feelings. Then they destroyed the holy pilgrim temples, monuments, stupas by examining the term there is only God in this world but not goddesses. From that women were habituated to live in the darkness of rajmahals, forts, kitchens, etc., They were caged with the POLYGAMY, PURDHA SYSTEM, ZENANA, JAUHAR, SATI, DOWRY Systems which turns them as a playing doll in the society. But today women were the largest working force in the Nation. They turned to be a productive force for the inclusive and sustainable development of the nation. Today from school to space in each and every field the leading personalities are woman. Today in our nation there are women Politicians, Professionals, Social Workers, Scientists, Soldiers, Teachers and CEO’s. So the modern world is targeted to the women progress and empowerment. In spite of these advances there are some cases regarding women Harassment, Violence, Sexual Attempts, Discrimination, Inequalities in each and every corner of the society. It’s time to create the equal status to the women in our hearts, home, society, livelihood and representation.