Women in Hindu Society: A Critical Appraisal of Their Status in India from The Vedic Period to Modern Times

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In ancient patriarchal societies, the birth of a girl was generally not welcomed. The daughter was considered the weaker sex and did not have an important role to play in family matters. During the Vedic period, as also in the ancient period, the birth of a female child was accepted although a male child was preferred As time passed, the conditions for a girl in society changed for the worse, eventually leading to the heinous crimes of foeticide and infanticide.

Despite the efforts of educationists and social reformers, the status of women has not improved dramatically Over the years numerous social, constitutional, and legislative measures have been implemented to empower women economically and politically. It is tragic that even in the twenty-first century, rape, dowry deaths, and other crimes against women are rampant.

This book studies the status of Hindu women from the Vedic Age to the present, analysing the steps taken to improve their condition. Education and economic empowerment of women alone can bring about positive change and reduce gender bias. A transformation in the attitude of men is necessary if the notion of equality between men and women has to be more than a distant dream.

S. K. Kulkarni was in the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (L.A. & A.S.) and is presently the Director of Finance and Administration at the Nehru Centre, Mumbai.

Shri Kulkarni is a prolific writer. He has written columns for two Mumbai newspapers, the Daily and Free Press Journal and for a monthly magazine One India One People. His writings cover a wide range of topics-social, political, and foreign relations-and have been highly appreciated by readers as reflected in their responses.

He is the author of four books: Perceptions, Challenges, Focus, and Hinduism: Triumphs and Tribulations. The last book has also been translated into Kannada and Marathi.

At the time of the book release function of my previous book Hinduism: Triumphs and Tribulations in July 2008, I had mentioned that I was working on my next book on the status of women in Hindu society, a subject close to my heart. I am happy that despite some delay the book is being published now.

From a very young age, I have been keenly and critically observing the position of women in general and in Hindu society in particular. It was a matter of great sorrow for me to see their pathetic condition, particularly that of widows. Contradictions and hypocrisy prevailing in the Hindu society for centuries and even today to a great extent have been a matter of great anguish for me. On the one hand we say that women are like goddesses to be revered and on the other in our actual behaviour we treat them as lower species meant only for domestic work and to serve men folk.

Life is an uncertain voyage and one may seek pristine pleasure by doing things which he would never do in his normal course of professional life. And I must confess that it gives me immense delight to pen this foreword to Women in Hindu Society as I believe this book is going to revolutionise the thinking of the Indian male class towards the opposite sex and shall also work as a stepping stone in reconciling the differences between the two genders.

The status of women in India has been the subject to many pivotal changes over the past few centuries. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been undeniably eventful. And this book covers in a succinct manner this relentless journey of women and also discusses the unjust practices and oppression which the female gender was subjected to under the garb of tradition and culture.