Position of women in accient period

1. Position of women's in ancient India
Introduction:-
No study on ancient Indian society is complete without
tracing the history of status & position of women as
they constituted the key stone in the arch of Indian
civilization. Dr. A.S.Altekar rightly point out “one of the
best way to understood the spirit of a civilization
appreciate it strength or excellence, realize its
limitation is to study the position & status of women in
it.
Ancient Hindu Scripture, Dharmik granth consider man &
women as two important aspect of supreme being lord
Shiva is worshiped and feminine part of his body being
worship as goddess shakti.

2. Ancient India
Rig Vedic period
(1500 B.C to 1000
B.C)
Later-Vedic period
(1000B.C to 600
B.C )

3. Position of women :
1) Position with in family- respectful.
2) Education opportunities- yes Rig Vedic mentions
20 women scholars.
3) Social &Religious participation-good , no pardhah.
4) Political participation- yes, present in sabha
meeting.
5) Property right- the fathers property was generally
inherited by sons. The daughter could inherit it
only if she was the only child of her parents. Right
to property was known in moveable things like
cattle, house, gold and ornaments and so also in
immovable property like land and property.

4. 6) Marriage-(1)marriage at that time was considered
to be-
1. Irrevocable
2. sacrament
3. religious with ceremonies
(2) Age of marriage in Vedic period is 16-17 years.
(3)No child marriage in Rig Vedic period but emerged
in later Vedic period.
(4) Widow remarriage in their rig Vedic period but
banned in later Vedic period.
(5) sati pratha & all evils are missing in rig Vedic
period & present in later Vedic period.

5. (6) Forms of marriage :
Socially approve-
Brahma(mast capable man for daughter)
Daiva(giving hand of daughter to priests)
Arsa(with customary practices)
Prajapatty(arranged)
Non socially approve-
Gandharva(love marriage)
Asura(bride price to kin of bride)
Rakshasa(by abduction)
Paisacha(by intoxicating)

6. Decline in position of women:
1) Subordinate status.
2) Polygamy practiced among the richer classes.
3) Denial of political rights (not a part of Sabha).
4) Too empharies on chastity of women-rise of social
evils.
5) Limited property right.