Written by Irmak Yazıcı

Abstract

Women’s question in India has been a crucial matter of debate for the last century. It is ironical in the sense that on one hand, India is known for being the original home of the Mother Goddess, has been home to important women scholars and politicians throughout her history, and was one of the first countries to give women the right to vote. On the other hand, India is the home of the hardest customs for women to take, namely sati [widow burning], female infanticide, polygyny, the dowry system, and child marriage. In my paper I will analyze how the state of women evolved and in what ways it is related to the nationalist movement throughout the history of India. To this aim, in the first place I will try to give an account of women’s condition in India throughout history, then I will analyze the role of western influence, colonial rule and liberation in the modifications in understanding women’s question in India.

Keywords: India; Women; Colonial rule; Liberation; Nationalism

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