Women Empowerment in India Essay Example
WOMAN’s ERA HAS COME OF AGE
Woman’s essence lies in her innate ability to care and love. She plays an all-enveloping character of a mother, daughter, wife , sister , friend, nurturer, guide and partner. She can be strong and soft, hard but still delicate. Woman is indeed the most beautiful creation of the Almighty!
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful. In modern India, women have adorned high offices in India including that of the President, Prime minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition, etc. The current President of India is a woman.
In ancient India, during the Vedic period, the women enjoyed equal status with men in all fields of life.Works by ancient Indian grammarians such as Patanjali and Katyayana suggest that women were educated in the early Vedic period. Rigvedic verses suggest that the women married at a mature age and were probably free to select their husband. Scriptures such as Rig Veda and Upanishads mention several women sages and seers, notably Gargi and Maitreyi.
Some kingdoms in the ancient India had traditions such as nagarvadhu ("bride of the city"). Women competed to win the coveted title of the nagarvadhu. Amrapali is the most famous example of a nagarvadhu.
However, later (approximately 500 B.C.), the status of women began to decline with the Smritis and with the Islamic invasion of Babur and the Mughal empire and later Christianity curtailing women's freedom and rights.
The Indian woman's position in the society further deteriorated during the medieval period when Sati, child marriages, purdah, Jauhar and a ban on widow remarriages became part of social life among some communities in India. In some parts of India, the Devadasis or the temple women were exploited.
Woman’s essence lies in her innate ability to care and love. She plays an all-enveloping character of a mother, daughter, wife , sister , friend, nurturer, guide and partner. She can be strong and soft, hard but still delicate. Woman is indeed the most beautiful creation of the Almighty!
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful. In modern India, women have adorned high offices in India including that of the President, Prime minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition, etc. The current President of India is a woman.
In ancient India, during the Vedic period, the women enjoyed equal status with men in all fields of life.Works by ancient Indian grammarians such as Patanjali and Katyayana suggest that women were educated in the early Vedic period. Rigvedic verses suggest that the women married at a mature age and were probably free to select their husband. Scriptures such as Rig Veda and Upanishads mention several women sages and seers, notably Gargi and Maitreyi.
Some kingdoms in the ancient India had traditions such as nagarvadhu ("bride of the city"). Women competed to win the coveted title of the nagarvadhu. Amrapali is the most famous example of a nagarvadhu.
However, later (approximately 500 B.C.), the status of women began to decline with the Smritis and with the Islamic invasion of Babur and the Mughal empire and later Christianity curtailing women's freedom and rights.
The Indian woman's position in the society further deteriorated during the medieval period when Sati, child marriages, purdah, Jauhar and a ban on widow remarriages became part of social life among some communities in India. In some parts of India, the Devadasis or the temple women were exploited.