The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c16.104

c16.104

We have seen how these rights went on expanding *pari passu* with the greater and greater emphasis that was being given to the doctrine of perpetual tutelage. The logical corollary of the doctrine should have been to curtail the property rights of women; why concede these to them when their male guardians, and not they themselves, were going to excercise them? The fact, however, was that the doctrine of perpetual dependence of women was never seriously subscribed to by Hindu society, though some of its jurists had solemnly initiated it. Proprietary rights of women went on developing in spite of the doctrine. The only result of material consequence which it produced was to circumscribe women’s power to dispose of immoveable property. It has to be noted, however, that the rights of males also were by no means unrestricted in this matter.