Women Empowerment

Women empowerment Historical Back ground of enslaving Women:- Considering sacrifices, sufferings & contribution of women for the welfare of the family, in the early times of human history, the families were Matriarchal (mother as head of the family).Although woman was not weaker than man, during menstruation, pregnancy & child birth she had to depend upon man., who subsequently enslaved her and society took the form of “Patriarchal” (Father as Ruler & Head of family). Still woman continued to enjoy authority & respect in the family. This continued in the Vedic Period, and women continued enjoying equal rights as men with liberty to choose their husbands in open “Sayambars” The respect enjoyed by woman of that time could be gauged from the verse” Yater Nariasye Pujante, Ramte Tater Devita (God reside at places where women are worshiped)” No religious ceremony by man was complete without participation of his wife and Rama had to get statue of Sita made to carry on with ceremonies for Ashawmegh Yagna. But process of down grading & enslaving woman had set in. Rishi ( Hermit )Gotama’s wife Ahalya’s chastity was out raged by “Moon,Indra and August Rishi” by deceit. Gotama instead of getting punishing or at least protesting the action against wrong doers, he cursed his wife by get her converted to a stone for long time. This shows that even enlightened persons showed little concerns for the females. Enslaving of women started in the later Vedic period, when Hindu Law Givers like Manu although, he too was born out of a mother ( woman ) , codified in his book Manu Smiriti as” It is the very nature of woman to corrupt men Verse 2(213 ) ; woman has no right to acquire property Verse 8 (416 ); Rules like serving husbands faithfully even, if he is devoid of any good qualities verse 154 (5); a girl, a young woman, or even an old woman should not do anything independently, even in her own house.Verse147 (5). A