The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c11.s2.6

c11.s2.6

We have seen in Chapter I that music was cultivated by ladies in cultured families since very early times. Ladies, who could sing or dance, were much admired. Was then music open as a career to ladies in respectable families? The asnwer is probably in the negative. We nowhere come across respectable ladies as music teachers. Girls in royal and rich families were usually coached either by male musicians or by dancing girls. It may be further pointed out that when early marriages came into vogue, it was not possible for ladies in cultured families to get the necessary proficiency in music before their marriage. Music as a career was not possible after the marriage owing to the progressively stringent ideas about decorum and seclusion.