The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c17.s4.1

c17.s4.1

The detailed survey of the position of women that we have made in this work would be of considerable use to us in understanding and solving most of the problems that confront us today. Women began to lose all along the line the moment their education began to be neglected. Early marriages naturally came into vogue when there was nothing to keep girls engaged after the age of 9 or 10. Uneducated brides of very young age naturally ceased to have any voice in the settlement of their marriages and began to be treated in a condescending manner by their husbands, who did not find them their proper companions either in tastes or in attainments. It is true that in spite of their illiteracy and inexperience many Hindu women possessed remarkable wisdom and capacity and could manage their home affairs efficiently, even in times of stress and difficulties. It cannot be however denied that the percentage of such women would have been much greater, if female education had not been discontinued by our society. Luckily there is at present no necessity to emphasise upon the need and advantage of female education in our community. Society has now taken to it seriously in towns and cities and rural areas will follow suit in course of time, as the standard of living of our population and the resources of Provincial Governments improve. As far as the nature of female education is concerned, we have discussed it already (*ante*, pp. 30-3), and pointed out that it should be a course specially intended for women, calculated to promote a harmonious development of their reason and emotion, enabling them at the same time to become earning members of the family either as part-time or whole time workers in case of need. The step taken by Prof. D. K. Karve in founding a special University for women was a step in the right direction. More schools and colleges must be founded, teaching courses specially intended for women.