Administrative role played by women in ancient india
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January - 2016 Odisha Review
Women are the gift to the society. During ancient
period of India, women played a significant role.
The Rig Vedic Women in India enjoyed high status
in society. Their condition was good. The women
were provided opportunity to attain high
intellectual and spiritual standard. There were
many women Rishis during this period. Though
monogamy was mostly common, the richer
section of the society indulged in polygamy. There
was no sati system or early marriage. But
from enjoying free and esteemed positions in the
Rig-Vedic society, women started being
discriminated against since the Later-Vedic period
in education and other rights and facilities. Child
marriage, widow burning, the purdah and
polygamy further worsened the women’s position.
The epics and Puranas equated women
with property. Even Buddhism did little for
women. Though the Maurya kings often
employed female bodyguards, spies and ‘Stri-
adhyaksha mahamatras’, their status was still quite
bad. Upper caste ladies had to accept the purdah.
During this period men were polygamous and
widow burning was an accepted norm.
Arthashastra imposed more stigmas on women
as Kautilya dismissed women’s liberation and they
were not free even to go elsewhere without
husband’s permission.
Role of Women in Ancient India
Naresh Rout
They became worse off in the Gupta period. The
Smritishastras abused them; Manu dictated a
woman would be dependent on her father in
childhood, on her husband in youth and on her
son in old age. Apart from child marriage and sati,
prostitution and Devadasi system became
widespread.
Ancient Women and Education:
There are some bright exceptions in this
dismal picture. The role of women in Ancient
Indian Literature is immense. Ancient India had
many learned ladies. There were two types of
scholarly women — the Brahmavadinis, or the
women who never married and cultured the Vedas
throughout their lives; and the Sadyodvahas who
studied the Vedas till they married. Panini
mentioned of female students’ studying Vedas.
Katyana called female teachers Upadhyaya or
Upadhyayi. Ashoka got his daughter,
Sanghamitra, inducted into preaching Buddhism.
From the Jain texts, we learn about the Kousambi
princess, Jayanti, who remained a spinster to study
religion and philosophy. Often, Buddhist nuns
composed hymns. Women did write Sanskrit
plays and verses, excelled in music, painting and
other fine arts.