The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c6.58

c6.58

Unfortunately we do not know anything about the status and family circumstances of the above lady poets, philosophers and doctors. Very probably some of them belonged to rich and cultured families, which could make special arrangements for girls' education even after their marriage, and some to Kshatriya circles, where the custom of child marriage did not take root for a long time even after it had become well established in the rest of society. In the 9th century a. d., higher education of women was confined to royal, official, rich and well-to-do families, and to the class of dancing girls¹. It may be pointed out that most of the heroines of Sanskrit dramas written in this period, who are represented as fairly educated, belong to the classes mentioned above.