"यत्रनार्यस्तुपूज्यन्तेरमन्तेतत्रदेवता"

It means where the deity resides in the place where women are worshiped. The existence of
women like Gargi, Maitrai, Lilavati, Atri, Anasuya in ancient times is a proof that in the Vedic
period women had full right to get higher education and they had equal share in the work
of their husbands. For this reason, she was named Ardhangini. In India, no festival or
auspicious work is considered complete without a woman. An example of this is that when
Lord Rama also performed the Ashwamedha Yagna, he made a gold idol of Sita ji in it. This
glorious state of women was there before the domination of Muslims in the country. The
times are changing. The lives of the Hindus became insecure when they were defeated by
the Muslims and the women had to protect their dignity Own area of work had to be
confined to the boundary wall of Kewat. Even in this age of darkness, this great land of India
gave birth to lalanas like Tara, Kalavati, Durgavati, Karunavati, Liladevi, Ahilyabai and
Lakshmibai, who named the Indian woman Ujyal by her virtues. Nari Jagran in India started
from the late nineteenth century. On one hand, great social reformers like Raja Rammohan
Roy, Swami Dayanand, Mahatma Gandhi tried their best to get the woman her rightful place
in the society, and on the other hand, the Indian woman started recognizing her form by
being influenced by the woman of the west. The Indian woman, looking at the woman of
the West taking equal part in the development of the country, shoulder to shoulder with the
man. she also called for the new age by giving a conservative life. In a well-off country like
America, men treat women with respect and treat them well. That is why that country is at
the peak of progress. The main reason for the downfall of our country is that we have no
respect for these living statues of power. Women have many problems, but due to illiteracy,
no problem could be solved. Recognizing this, Swami Dayanand Saraswati laid great
emphasis on education of women. Women should not be considered only stove - chowka
and child production device. Keeping this in mind, Gandhiji challenged women to contribute
in the freedom struggle. In 1928, Gandhiji said - "tremendous public opinion should be
made against the practice of dowry. Those young men who pollute their hands in such a
wrong way should be expelled from the caste." After attaining independence with a view to
bring about maximum improvement in the condition of women, the government has taken
various steps and has enacted several laws for social justice. According to the constitution,
women have the same right to proceed in every sphere of life as the man. Being a woman
cannot prevent her from adopting any field of work. With the grace of the government to
strengthen his position in the family, she has now got equal rights in ancestral property. In
order to avoid continued exploitation, abuse and torture by the husband, the government
can divorce and remarry under a law enacted by the government. Curtain system, child
marriage, etc. Dhar - is slowly ending. Women's education is expanding rapidly. After
receiving education, she is also uplifting the country and caste.

द्
धाहो
नारीआपकेवलरद्धाहो , विवासरजतनभपगतलमें
श्र सरजतनभपगतलमें, पीयूषस्रोतसीटिंगकरो,
श्वा
जीवनकेसुंदरसमतलमें।
It is through this rule of marriage that discrete caste categories continues and ritual purity of
caste is maintained. The safeguarding of caste structure is achieved through the highly
restricted movement of the women. Women are regarded as gateways, literally points of
entrance into the caste system.
Dalit women have been active throughout history and they were actively involved in the anti-
caste and anti-untouchability movements in the 1920. At around the same time the early 1990s
saw the assertion of autonomous Dalit women organisation at both regional and national level.
Social reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Dayanand Saraswati, VeeraslingamPantulu,
Pandita Ramabai, Mumtaz Ali, Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, etc supported equality for women
and eradicate problems like social problems like Sati, child marriage, dowry, etc.
It describes elaborately about the status of women, how people were discriminated against
based on their gender, their caste, girls getting educated and the Non-Brahman movements.
Pandita Ramabai was a social worker, scholar and a champion of women's rights, freedom and
education during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Recognized as one of India's most
influential woman reformers, she was the first to promote the welfare and education of Indian
widows.

(i) The caste system encouraged disunity i.e., it broke up the society
prevented unity. (ii) The rigidity of the caste system constantly
clashed with the modern ideas and thus isolated India from the rest
of the world. (iii) It was a humiliating and inhuman system. (iv) The
differences and mutual jealousies.
(ii) Women, Reform and Caste System in
India
(iii) It took us 71 years to achieve independence from the British
Raj. But even after we became independent, there was a class
of people especially women who still hadn’t achieved
independence and even today are struggling for it. However,
there were a few reformers who tried to reform our society for
the good and have succeeded to a large extent. Let’s find out
more about women, reform, and the caste system in India.
(iv) Suggested Videos
(v) What is Civilisation?

(vi)
(vii) Introduction to Heritage

(viii)
 (ix) Historians and Dates

(x)
(xi)
(xii)
(xiii)
(xiv) What is Civilisation?
(xv) Introduction to Heritage
(xvi) Historians and Dates
(xvii)
(xviii) Women in India

(xix)
(xx) Women’s status in India has been changed several times. From
the decline in status from ancient to medieval times to
promotion of equality by social reformers like Savitibai Phule,
Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Vivekananda, etc.
(xxi) During the Vedic period, they had equal rights. There wasn’t
any discrimination based on gender. Women were equal in all
aspects of life. By studying ancient works of grammarians like
Patanjali and Katayayna, we can conclude that women were
sent to school. Women even had the right to choose their own
husband and practice live-in relationships.
(xxii) However, that changed in the medieval times and women were
considered as the weaker gender. Women were also restricted
 from a lot of religious practices. Some women were forced to
practice Sati and Jauhar. Widow remarriage was prohibited.
Child marriage was common. Old men married young girls
forcefully.
(xxiii) During the British Raj, many reformers came ahead to fight the
injustice and inequality against women. For example, Raja Ram
Mohan Roy protested against the practice of Sati which led to
the passing of the Act banning the practice of Sati. Mahatma
Jyotirao Phule started the first school for girls. His wife
Savitribai Phule taught in his school. The society was against
this. Other reformers who fought against inequality were
Maharishi Dhondo Keshav Karve, VireshlingamPantalu, etc.
(xxiv) Caste System in India

(xxv)
(xxvi) The Caste System in India is in hierarchal form. It basically
consists of four Varnas i.e. Brahmans (Priests), Kshatriyas
(Kings, Knights, etc), Vaishyas (Merchants, Landlords,
craftsman, etc) Shudras (Maids, Farmers, Workers, etc) and the
people who didn’t fit in these categories were the Dalits or the
untouchables (Sweepers, People who dealt with dead bodies,
etc).
(xxvii)There was caste discrimination. The upper caste people would
torture the lower caste people. Lower caste people weren’t
allowed in certain places and occasions. Religious and social
 functions were a prohibition for them. The lower castes were
punished if they touched any upper caste person or even if they
were under the shadow of an upper – caste person. Upper –
caste people didn’t accept food or water from a lower caste
person.
(xxviii) Life of a lower caste person was worse than an animal’s life.
They were constantly harassed in the name of the caste system.
Many reformers were against this. Jyotirao Phule said that
people who considered themselves as “Aryans” have come
from foreign lands. And the lower caste people are the real
natives of India. Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar tried to eradicate
social taboos like untouchability and caste restrictions. Periyar
supported equality for the untouchables.
(xxix) Reformers in India
(xxx) India has been a victim of a lot of social problems like
inequality against women and people of lower castes and tribes.
Many reformers had come ahead to fight all these problems.
For example, Periyar E.V. Ramaswamy tried to destroy the
inequality against untouchables. Social reformers like Raja
Ram Mohan Roy, Dayanand Saraswati, VeeraslingamPantulu,
Pandita Ramabai, Mumtaz Ali, Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, etc
supported equality for women and eradicate problems like
social problems like Sati, child marriage, dowry, etc.

Dalit women suffer multiple discrimination at the intersection of caste and gender
discrimination.
“The reality of Dalit women and girls is one of exclusion and marginalisation … They are often victims of
civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights violations, including sexual abuse and violence.They are
often displaced; pushed into forced and/or bonded labour, prostitution and trafficking.” UN Special
Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Rashida Manjoo

Multiple discrimination
Dalit women are often trapped in highly patriarchal societies. The severe discrimination they
face from being both a Dalit and a woman, makes them a key target of violence and
systematically denies them choices and freedoms in all spheres of life. This endemic intersection
of gender-and-caste discrimination is the outcome of severely imbalanced social, economic and
political power equations.
“The combination of caste and gender makes millions of Dalit women extremely vulnerable to
discrimination and violence, including rape” Human Rights Watch

Violence and rape

Dalit women suffer from severe limitations in access to justice and there is widespread impunity
in cases where the perpetrator is a member of a dominant caste, above the Dalits in the caste
system.Dalit women are therefore considered easy targets for sexual violence and other crimes,
because the perpetrators almost always get away with it.

For example, in India, studies show that the conviction rate for rapes against Dalit women is
under 2% compared to a conviction rate of 25% in rape cases against all women in India.

“Great, now you have proof that you enjoyed yourself” – the reply of an Indian court judge to a gang raped
Dalit woman, upon seeing a video of the rape filmed and distributed by the dominant caste rapists and
presented by the woman in court as evidence of the rape.
 Denied justice, access to education, health and other
services
Sanctioned impunity on behalf of the offenders is a key problem. Police often neglect or deny the
Dalit women of their right to seek legal and judicial aid. In many cases, the judiciary fails to
enforce the laws that protect Dalit women from discrimination.

Caste and gender discrimination in the delivery of education health care, water, sanitation and
other basic services are also major obstacles for Dalit women severely impacting on their welfare
and opportunities. This discrimination has been documented repeatedly by UN agencies and
major international human rights and development NGOS.

“Non-implementation of legislation and policies and the lack of effective remedies and effectively
functioning state institutions, the judiciary and police included, remain major obstacles to eliminating
caste-based discrimination” European Parliament 2013 Resolution on Caste

Born into modern slavery and prostitution

Dalit women often work in modern slavery and are key targets for trafficking. They are often
used as debt slaves in brick kilns, garment industries and agriculture. 98% of those forced into
the dehumanising work of manual scavenging, removing human waste by hand, are also Dalit
women. Dalit women may also be born into temple prostitution as ‘Devadasis’ (sex slaves) in
India or be branded prostitutes in Nepal due to their caste status.

Reforms by Mahatma Gandhi:

1. Nonviolent Resistance: Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolent resistance, or Satyagraha, was

his primary tool for social and political change. Through movements like the Salt March
and Quit India Movement, he mobilized millions to peacefully resist British colonial rule.
2. Empowerment of Villages: Gandhi emphasized the importance of rural development and
self-sufficiency. He promoted cottage industries and the spinning wheel (charkha) to
provide economic independence to villagers and reduce dependence on foreign goods.
3. Hindu-Muslim Unity: Gandhi worked tirelessly to bridge the divide between Hindus and
Muslims, advocating for religious harmony and mutual respect. He undertook fasts and
urged for communal peace during times of heightened tension.

Reforms by B.R. Ambedkar:

1. Dalit Rights: Ambedkar, himself born into a Dalit family, dedicated his life to fighting
against caste discrimination and untouchability. He advocated for the rights of Dalits
and worked towards their social and economic upliftment.
2. Reservation System: Ambedkar played a crucial role in introducing reservations for
marginalized communities in educational institutions and government jobs through
affirmative action policies. This was aimed at providing opportunities for historically
disadvantaged groups.
3. Women's Rights: Ambedkar was a staunch advocate for women's rights and gender
equality. He fought against discriminatory practices such as child marriage and
advocated for women's education and empowerment.

Both Gandhi and Ambedkar made significant contributions to social reform in India,
addressing issues of inequality, injustice, and discrimination from different perspectives
and with different strategies. Their legacies continue to inspire movements for social
justice and equality in India and around the world.

Both Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar made notable contributions to addressing
issues related to women's rights and the caste system in India, albeit with different
approaches.

Mahatma Gandhi's Reforms:

1. Women's Empowerment: Gandhi believed in the empowerment of women and

encouraged their participation in the freedom struggle. He emphasized women's
education, self-reliance, and participation in political activities. Gandhi also advocated
for reforms in societal attitudes towards women, challenging traditional gender roles
and promoting their active involvement in public life.
2. Caste System: Gandhi was critical of the caste system and advocated for its abolition. He
worked towards promoting social harmony and equality among all castes, urging people
to discard the notion of untouchability and treat all individuals with dignity and respect.
Gandhi himself undertook initiatives to bridge the gap between different caste
communities and promoted inter-caste marriages as a means to break down caste
barriers.

B.R. Ambedkar's Reforms:

1. Women's Rights: Ambedkar was a strong advocate for women's rights and worked
towards dismantling gender-based discrimination. He campaigned against practices like
child marriage and advocated for women's education and empowerment. Ambedkar
 recognized the intersectionality of caste and gender discrimination and emphasized the
need to address both simultaneously to achieve social justice.
2. Caste System: Ambedkar's primary focus was on addressing the injustices perpetuated
by the caste system, particularly towards Dalits (formerly known as untouchables). He
fought against caste-based discrimination and untouchability, advocating for the social,
economic, and political rights of Dalits. Ambedkar played a pivotal role in the drafting of
laws and provisions aimed at abolishing untouchability and ensuring the social
upliftment of Dalits, such as the reservation system.

While Gandhi and Ambedkar shared a common goal of social reform and justice, their
approaches to addressing issues related to women and the caste system differed based
on their respective backgrounds, experiences, and ideologies. Nonetheless, both leaders
made significant contributions to advancing the rights and dignity of marginalized
groups in Indian society.