Women and Dalit Oppression and Suppression: Searching for Historical Background

Abstract

When we search about ancient history of India, specially the history of Vedic Age, then we observe a monolithic history of the oppression and suppression of Women and Dalit.In the history of Ancient India in Rig Vedic and later Vedic period the society was developed on the basis of Brahmanical four fold system. In Rigvedic period there was some kind of mobility in this brahmonical four fold system and in that period varna of an individual was not hereditary. The upanayana of women was acknowledged or accepted in social life, that is the ten samaskaras were applicable to women also. Women could read vedas. They also could able to participate in political life and were able to choose their life partners. On the other hand Sudra Varna was mainly those Aryan tribes who were defeated during conflicts between themselves. They were also referred to as the Dasas and Dasyus in the Rigveda and were also included in the category of the Sudra varna, the lowest stratum of the varna hierarchy. In the later vedic period,the varna system or varna hierarchy started to be immobile and the specific varna of an individual started to be hereditary. After the Vedic age Jati or caste system was started. After the Vedic age a certain part of sudra varna was described as the untouchable or the fifth varna. Gradually the society started to exploit the women and the Sudras from their various rights and privileges. Women as a whole and women and men folk of sudra varna both were prohibited to read the Vedas and to get education. They were also deprived of the rights of observing various samaskaras. Gradually the sudra varna were being appointed to give service to the upper three varnas. On the other hand women were only used for the cause of reproduction and to give service to their families of in laws. In the ancient Literature, women were described as eligible for Sampradana to the Bridegroom with other mobile or immobile gifts such as cattle or other material objects. On the other side the chandalas, the cobblers, the sweepers were described as untouchable and were directed to live outside the pale of the varna system and outside the frontiers of villages. It was prohibited for higher varnas to touch and see the Untouchables. By doing these the higher varnas had to enunciate their varna status. But accepting their services was not anyway prohibited to the upper varnas. In ancient Hindu society various types of services from the untouchables were compulsory and to continue the reproduction system marriage was obligatory in state and society. So it can be said that suppression and exploitation of women and untouchables are the continuous process. Since ancient time. In colonial times there started the process of upliftment women through various social reform movements. Almost at the same period Jyotirao Phule and Sabitribai Phule – this couple tried to eradicate the untouchability from society and to uplift the status of Untouchables. In this present Research Project, we try to explain the historical background of the suppression and oppression of women and Untouchables in Indian Society