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For the Award of Doctor of Philosophy History INVESTIGATING GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: A STUDY ON THE WOMEN ASSOCIATIONS OF COLONIAL BENGAL (1865-1943) A Thesis submitted to the University of North Bengal For the award of Doctor of Philosophy in History By Supriya Biswas Assistant Professor Department of History Gour Mahavidyalaya Mangalbari, Malda, 732142 West Bengal Under the Supervision of Dr. Ichhimuddin Sarkar Professor Department of History University of North Bengal August, 2016 INVESTIGATING GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: A STUDY ON THE WOMEN ASSOCIATIONS OF COLONIAL BENGAL (1865-1943) ABSTRACT Statement of the Problem Women movement and women power has had a long tradition in the history of India. In the traditional era, women power was recognized in the Shakti cult. But this perception was not merely a reaction against male domination or oppression or even a negative approach in seeking power and authority from a votive force. This idea did not even comprehend women to be subordinate or inferior in the terminology of the gender system. Women themselves have ever been considered as the source of unlimited power. This tradition was particularly strong in Bengal where women have always enjoyed a special reverence. In spite of the above perception and also due to outstanding efforts of a few enlightened personalities like Raja Rammohun Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Henry Vivian Derozio, Keshab Chandra Sen, Swami Vivekananda and even Mahatma Gandhi for the emancipation of women, the general condition of women in colonial India nay Bengal was far from satisfactory. It was „gender‟, but class and caste also did make differences. The social process linked class, caste and gender question together and particularly this is applicable in the case of women of the middle class society. All these factors combined to produce an unenviable scene of Indian society and Bengal was not an exception. But the women voices were not so silent as it appears to be. There were women who sought to build the self-esteem in the society and through various movements countered the despite and hopelessness that prevailed among the women folk. They developed strategies and political forums not only to re-establish identity but to dictate and divert the policy of the colonial Government for their cause. Because the goal of empowerment and of course dignity in the society largely depended on the help and co-operation of the Government as well as to legitimize their rights in the society. But unless and until a certain position was reached, and the women could attain minimum strength, they were unable to influence the state policy to their desired goal. Fact remains that the colonial Government was either silent or unwilling or unable to alter cultural patterns and social psyche that put women inferior in the family or in the socio-economic structure of the then society. This situation may be taken as a background to urge “community organizations, particularly women organizations” to mobilize public opinion and strengthen social protest against oppressive institutions like polygamy, dowry, child-marriage and to mount a campaign for the legal rights of women. Thus, the uplift of women in colonial Bengal and even that of India became a joint tusk of educated Indians and the Government (i.e. Colonial Government) which facilitated socio-cultural movements of women in colonial Bengal. Thus, a background was created for the emergence and growth of organized and institutional movements for the emancipation of Indian women from the age- old superstitions and injustice which made them victims of the circumstances. Thus in the above trend the women of Bengal became conscious about the repressive social practices and came forward to redress their grievances through various means and political programmes. Bengali women‟s political participation and social protests, however, were expressed in the form of attending public meetings, forming socio-political associations, joining political demonstration and so on which not only brought to light the nature of social injustice against Indian women but also had their signals of protest on the alien power for the high- handedness against the Indians. There were, in fact, many socio-political associations and from the emergence of the Brahmika Samaj (1865) down to the formation of the Bangiya Pradeshik Mahila Atma Raksha Samiti (1943), we come across women associations of various names to come together to highlight women issues. Keeping in mind the above background of women problem and the mechanism to demonstrate protest for the cause of emancipation, the proposed dissertation is a humble attempt to present a history of Bengali women who expressed their grievances through some associations. The dissertation is supposed to start from 1865, the year when Brahmika Samaj (1865) came into existence and end with the foundation of the Bangiya Pradeshik Mahila Atma Raksha Samiti (1943). Within this period women issues came into light in these associations namely Bamabodhini Sabha (1863), Brahmika Samaj (1865), Banga Mahila Samaj or Bengal Ladies Association (1879), Arya Nari Samaj (1879), Sakhi Samiti (1886), Bharat Stree Mahamandal (1910), Anjumane Khwatine Islam (1916), Nari Siksha Samiti (1919), Bangiya Nari Samaj or Bengali Women’s Association (1921), Saroj Nalini Dutt Nari Mangal Samiti (8th February, 1925), Nari Satyagraha Samiti (1929), Bengal Congress Mahila Sangha (1938) and so on and then expressed their views in different forms and dimensions. At the stage the Bangiya Pradeshik Mahila Atma Raksha Samiti, established in 1943, had her multipurpose activities in inspiring the women problems for their emancipation and also to record voice of protest against injustice prevailed at that time. Aims and Objectives of the Study The present dissertation “INVESTIGATING GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: A STUDY ON THE WOMEN ASSOCIATIONS OF COLONIAL BENGAL (1865-1943)” deals with women associations which emerged in Bengal and fought for the cause of women who were the victims of inequality and social injustice. Making of women associations particularly in Bengal and the activities of women through different associations forms a fascinating study. In the nineteenth century a few enlightened Bengali social reformer took the initiatives to remove the disgraceful life of women of Bengal who suffered by the age long evil customs of the society. As a result of nineteenth century reform movement vis- a-vis gender consciousness, the women of Bengal were inspired to establish their own associations to search their power and authority from a votive force and after that socio- political rights and empowerment. So, the study aims at bringing to lime light the changing pattern of the women of Bengal through their associations. Scope of the Study The period of the study starts from 1865, a significant year in the history of colonial Bengal. It was in this year that, the first women association for the women named Brahmika Samaj was established and this event by itself constituted an important stage in the growth of women associations of colonial Bengal. This year also witnessed that, for the first time Bengali women especially Brahmo women participated in that association from their confinements of the four walls and in that sense, it was a revolutionary step in the history of colonial Bengal. The present dissertation ends at 1943, of course another significant year which rather legitimized the voice of women in history and obviously signified a turning point in Bengal for the cause of women empowerment. So, the study covers a period of nearly one hundred years i.e. from 1865-1943. Survey of Literature Regarding the thesis literary documents and materials are available but there are some limitations of the document. A few primary sources have been utilized. The following reports, contemporary periodicals, journals, magazines, memoirs, autobiographies, original writings, newspapers throw some light on the theme. Some of the examples of this category are: Home Political Confidential Proceedings, File No. 111 (1-3), Calcutta. Home Political Proceedings, File No. 5/62/1932. Home Political Department, File No. 3/31/42, 1942. Bengal Legislative Council Proceedings, Vol. IV, 5th September, 1921. WIA, Quinquennial Report, 1917-1922. Indian Annual Register, Vol. I, 1921-22. „Bengal Provincial Council Report‟, NCWI Report, 1928-29. Bulletin, January, 1932. Annual Report, AIWC, 1928. Parliamentary Papers, Vol. VI, 1933-1934. Government of India, File no. 28/25/38, Home Department, Judicial 1938. All India Congress Committee, File no. WD - 2. Town and Suburbs Census Report, 1901. Catalogue of Bengali Books, National Library, Calcutta. The Bengal Spectator, May 1842. The Brahmo Public Opinion, 7th August, 1879. Modern Review, October 1911. The Hindu, May 3, 1931. Indian Ladies Magazine, 5th September-October, 1932. Stri Dharma, Magazine of WIA, Vol.14, No. 12, October, 1931. Roshni (Journal of AIWC), Special number, 1946. Samya Shakti, Vol. 1, No. 2, 1984. The Indian Historical Review, Vol. XXI, Nos. 1 & 2. Samachar Darpan, 14 March, 1835. Jnananvesan, 16 December 1837 Sambad Prabhakar, 10th May, 1849. Bamabodhini Patrika, Vol.1, No.2, January, 1865. Sarbasubhakari Patrika, Ashwin, 1772 Sakabda. Bharati, March, 1878. Paricharika, Vol.1, No. 6, 16th October, 1878. Abalabandhab, No. 1, June 1879. Pak-Pranali, Vol.1, No.1, 1883. Antahpur, Vol.1, No.2, January 1898. Bangalakshmi, Vol. 5, No. 12, 1929. Jayashree’, Jaistha, 1931 (1338, B. S).
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