| p>Women in Hinduism have a rich past. In ancient India, | | | | change according to the times and this ensured that |
| women were treated equal to men and in fact they | | | | despite quite a bit of negativity and discrimination |
| were considered superior to men in many aspects. It is | | | | women in Hinduism evolved and positively contributed |
| indeed remarkable to note that the word for strength, | | | | to society for their own benefit as well as the overall |
| virility and power in Hindu culture is represented by the | | | | benefit of the society and the community. |
| feminine "Shakti". Shakti is the all prevailing universal | | | | Further to understand the role of Women in Hinduism |
| manifestation of the feminine and she is worshiped as | | | | there are many topics and issues which need to be |
| the goddess of strength, valour and power in Hinduism. | | | | analyzed and studied in detail. |
| All male power is said to be derived from this universal | | | | These include |
| power and strength of the feminine principle. As per | | | | 1. Women in Hinduism: Hindu view on the Woman |
| Hindu Mythology and literature kings and towns were | | | | 2. An initial orientation to women and Hinduism: This |
| completely destroyed because a single woman was | | | | includes topics like, The Position of Women in Hinduism, |
| wronged by the state or the people in power. | | | | Women as equals of men in early Vedic Religion, A |
| Examples are Ravana in the epic called Ramayana | | | | growing net of restrictions, The liberation of women in |
| and the Kauravas in Mahabharatha. | | | | the Puranas, Heroic women of the Epic Tradition, |
| Women in Hinduism: Role of women in ancient | | | | Women Poet-Saints, The 'Mothers' and from sati to |
| Hinduism | | | | dowry murders |
| The ancient history and the origins of Hinduism can be | | | | 3. Religious and Social variance in Women's status in |
| traced from the Vedic times. This was a golden period | | | | Hinduism |
| when women and men had equal rights in all aspects | | | | 4. Famous Women of Ancient and Modern India: |
| of life including education and religion. There were great | | | | These include Gargi, Mira bai, Sarojini Naidu, Sita, |
| women scholars who mastered the Vedas and in fact | | | | Durgavati, Sarada Devi, Savitri, Queen of Jhansi |
| the creation of the Vedas itself was a joint effort of | | | | Lakshm Bai, Bhagini Nivedita, Draupadi, Shakuntala Devi |
| women and men rishis. The Vedas and Upanishads | | | | and Mother Mirra |
| the first and foremost sacred texts of Hinduism | | | | 5. Dowry Didn't Evolve from India |
| mention in detail various rituals involving women as well | | | | 6. Developing an Ecofeminist Ethic Within the Hindu |
| as the contributions of women scholars and | | | | Tradition: This includes topics like, Principles of |
| philosophers of those times. | | | | Ecofeminism, Ecology and Hinduism, Hindu Sacred |
| Women in Hinduism: The creation of caste sysetm | | | | Texts and Ecofeminism and Shaktism, Tantra and |
| and degradation of the status of women | | | | Ecofeminism etc. |
| Later history and the creation of the caste system in | | | | 7. The Status of Dalit Women in India's Caste Based |
| fact became the bane of Hinduism. Later texts like the | | | | System |
| Manusmriti which were created to enforce the | | | | 8. The Divine Mother: God as Goddess |
| brahmanical order systematically degraded the role of | | | | 9. Mother Earth, Mother Nature |
| women in Hindu society. Texts like Manusmriti cannot | | | | 10. Feminine Spirituality, Feminine Rituals |
| match the sacred texts like the Vedas and | | | | 11. Women as Hindu Spiritual Leaders: The Women of |
| Upanishads but still they had a deep impact on the | | | | God |
| society. It's not that this and the similar kind of later | | | | 12. Women Scholars and Poetesses |
| texts which are together called the "smritis" are | | | | 13. The many achievements and talents of Hindu |
| completely junk but we have to accept that it | | | | Women: Able Rulers, Warriors, Poetesses, Scholars, |
| contained lot of rubbish as per the standards of | | | | Mathematicians, Freedom fighters, Musicians, Artists |
| today's society. There is no second opinion on the fact | | | | and so on. |
| that women faced most of the burnt from the thinking | | | | 14. Musicians and Dancers |
| and practice based on these later texts. Women | | | | 15. Ideal Queens |
| became subordinate to men, they were always to be | | | | 16. Warriors, Warrior Queens and Freedom Fighters |
| in control of men either in the form of a father, | | | | 17. Social Status of Hindu Women: This includes topics |
| husband, brother or son. They were barred from | | | | such as Woman as Mother, Woman as Daughter, |
| education and overt religious practices and their | | | | Woman as an unwanted Fetus, Woman as Sister, |
| socio-cultural role was also diminished considerably in | | | | Woman as the Bride, Woman as Wife and Woman |
| various ways. This was in fact very ironical because | | | | as Widow |
| on one hand still the feminine and the women power | | | | 18. The Woman as a Woman: Of Panegyrics and |
| was worshiped in the form of goddess but the actual | | | | Caricatures |
| social situation of women was far inferior and pathetic. | | | | 19. Women as the Strength and Inspiration of Great |
| Though many aspects of later Hinduism were not | | | | Men |
| congenial to women, still as a ancient and old religion | | | | 20. |
| the strength of Hinduism was its ability to adopt and | | | | |