The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c3: Preface
The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c3
- Language
- English
Preface
c3.1
There are some monographs which deal with the position of Hindu women in particular periods of Indian history, but no work has as yet been written which reviews their position throughout the long history of Hindu civilisation. An attempt has therefore been made in this book to describe the position of women in Hindu civilisation from prehistoric times to the present day, and to indicate the general lines on which the various problems that confront Hindu women (and therefore men also) should be tackled in order to get a fairly satisfactory solution. Every effort has been made to utilise all possible sources of information,—Vedic, epic, Jain, Buddhist, Smṛiti and classical Sanskrit literatures, sculptures and paintings, coins and inscriptions, narratives of foreign travellers, both ancient and medieval, accounts of European merchants and missionaries, Government blue books and reports, modern works on the feminist movement, both in the East and the West. Most of the above authorities have been consulted in the original.
c3.2
The opening chapter deals with the problems relating to the childhood and education of women. Then follow two chapters (III and IV), which deal with the numerous complex problems connected with marriage and married life. In the next two chapters (IV and V), the position of the widow in society has been considered. The place of women in public life and religion has been dealt with in chapters VI and VII. In chapters VIII and IX various questions connected with proprietary rights have been discussed. Fashions of dress, ornaments and coiffure are described in chapter X, and illustrated with six plates. Chapter XI deals with the general attitude of society towards women, both in normal and abnormal times and situations.
c3.3
Each chapter deals with the history and development of its topic from the earliest times to the present day, and then suggests at the conclusion the lines on which the present day problems connected with it should be solved. This method enables the reader to get a continuous and connected idea of the history of the particular topic or institution from age to age, and to realise the full nature and significance of the different forces that were governing its general development or vicissitudes. The method, however, has one defect ; it does not enable the reader to have a complete and synthetic picture of the position of women in any particular age. The concluding chapter therefore takes a general review of the whole subject, and delineates in broad outlines the general position of women in its entirety in the different periods of Hindu civilisation, and discusses at full length the various causes that were responsible for the changes that were taking place from age to age. It is confidently hoped that the reader will find the subject treated in a very comprehensive manner.
c3.4
A general knowledge of the position and status of women in the main civilisations of ancient and modern times, both in the East and the West, is necessary in order to get a proper perspective for the evaluation of Hindu culture with reference to its attitude towards women and their problems in the different periods of our history. Otherwise we would be too much prone to blame or praise. An effort has therefore been made in this work to enlighten the reader about the position of women in some of the important countries and civilisations with reference to most of the topics discussed in the book. This will enable him to form a correct and comparative estimate about the achievements and limitations of our civilisation regarding the woman and her problems.
c3.5
The subject matter of the book bristles with controversial topics, and it is quite possible that some of my readers and reviewers may not agree with me in my conclusions. Some of them may think that I have been rather partial to ancient Hindu culture; others may hold that I have been unnecessarily severe in exposing its defects. Some may feel that the remedies suggested are too drastic, others may opine that they do not go far enough. These differences of opinion are, however, inevitable. I would assure both the reader and the critic that it has been my constant endeavour to treat the subject as impartially as possible. Limitations of our culture have not been passed over, nor its excellences magnified, nor vice versa. The historian can hold no brief either for the past or for the present, either for the East or for the West.
c3.6
The book is mainly a research work, which documents every important statement it makes, and seeks to throw fresh light on many important and obscure points connected with the topics of enquiry. The subject matter has, however, been presented in a manner calculated to be attractive and intelligible to the general reader as well. Every effort has been made not to mar the general flow of the narrative by the introduction and discussion of original passages, or of obscure and unimportant topics. These have been all relegated to footnotes, where the scholar and the more serious reader may study them at leisure. It is therefore hoped that the book will interest both the scholar and the general reader. For the help of the latter, dates of important events and works have also been supplied in brackets at many places.
c3.7
I am grateful to Dr. S. K. Belvalkar and Principal K: V. Rangaswami Aiyangar for carefully going through the typescript and making a number of valuable suggestions. I am obliged to R. B. K. N. Dikshit, M. A., the Director General of Archæology in India, for giving permission to reproduce the photographs of the sculptures utilised for the plates in this work. I am indebted to my wife Sau. Satyabhāmābai for offering me valuable assistance in analysing the data of sculptures and paintings for the purpose of determining the fashions in dress and ornaments.
c3.8
BENARES HINDU UNIVERSITY, A. S. ALTEKAR.