The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c17.3

c17.3

The method we have so far followed was the vertical one; we isolated each topic, custom or institution and treated its history and development from age to age. This must have enabled the reader to perceive clearly the evolution of the different stages in the development of different ideas, customs and institutions. The method, however, has one defect; it does not enable the reader to get a comprehensive and detailed picture of any one period as whole. He will have to consult the different chapters of the work afresh if, for instance, he desires to have a synthetic picture of the position of women as a whole, either in the Vedic or in the Upanishadic period. It is therefore necessary and desirable to follow the horizontal method of narration as well, and proceed to delineate the position of women as a whole in the different epochs of our long history. This will enable the reader to have a full picture of each period and find out how far the position as a whole went on improving or deteriorating¹. It will be also possible to discuss here the general causes responsible for the changes at a greater length and in a more connected manner than was so far possible to do in the preceding chapters.