Long -
Elaborate the condition of women during the mediaeval
period and explain the reasons for the same.
Answers
Answer:
Along-with the invasion of the country by the Muslims, the position of women declined further. The Muslim period witnessed several indicators of low status of women, particularly the Hindu women. The child marriage became a rule to safeguard the chastity and honour of the girls. In many cases the Hindu girls were given in marriage before the age of nine or ten. This clearly indicated that the Hindu girls were denied education.
Polygamy and ‘purdah’ system were ‘practiced during the Muslim period. Women were restrained through the ‘purdah’ system and the movement outside the home was checked. Thus the purdah system affected their education. It also made women dependent on men for external work.
Polygamy was very commonly practiced among the higher class Hindus. The Hindu widow spent her days in the most pathetic condition. The practice of child marriage resulted in rapid increase in the number of child widows. The death of a woman was preferred to her falling into evil hands. The practice of ‘Sati’ was encouraged and the widows who did not perform ‘Sati’ were looked down upon by the society.
Explanation
The medieval period was extremely disappointing for Indian women medieval India. It was not a age of women rather it was the dark period for women due to practices like sati pratha,child marriage johar,etc. When foreign ruler such as Muslim invaded India they brought their own culture with them. women were solely property of their father, brother and husband or they had no free well. This way of thinking craft into the minds of India and they begin to treat their own women's in the same way.