Hidden Histories: Peasant Women and the Indian National Movement

International Journal of Research and Review www.ijrrjournal.com E-ISSN: 2349-9788; P-ISSN: 2454-2237 Original Research Article Hidden Histories: Peasant Women and the Indian National Movement Dr. Maitree Vaidya Sabnis Assistant Professor, Department of History, The M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat ABSTRACT Women have been absent from history writing of almost every civilization, more so the peasant women. Indian National Movement was the most recent turning point in Indian history, which ushered in a modern age. However, in order to present a complete picture, there is a need felt to create a dialogue between women and the national movement. Hence, an attempt has been made in this original research article to bring about the sublimities of this very discourse in the first half of the twentieth century. Key Words: Gender, Indian National Movement, Historiography, Awadh, Warli. INTRODUCTION one approach could be to study the The old age adage of absences of processes which reflect and later deflect the women from history is too oft repeated to be common perceptions. The common mentioned again. In the similar wane, to perceptions are that men are active where as reiterate writing women back in history too women are passive, which can be attributed has assumed a rhetoric position. The to according to Sherry Ortner‟s notion question appears more pertinent in case of widespread across the cultures that women „low class‟ women, essentially women are closer to nature while men reside in the „working‟ in rural areas. It is a known fact realm of culture. [1] So women are that there is virtually no record of women as associated with the 'domestic' or 'private' active agents in various events that took rather than the 'public' domain of social, place over the centuries in almost all the political and economic life, which only men civilizations. To fill the gap the feminist animate and transform. [2] anthropologists, sociologists and historians The other approach is to study and are trying to give women their due as articulate the processes of historical change contributors in the development of society through various mediums other than the and culture. The much recorded history is traditionally accepted ones. Social theorists about men, where women are absent or of the late 19th and early 20th century saw in silent. Apparently women‟s invisibility was the transformation in the relations between a matter not so much of fact but of the sexes, epitomized in changing family perspective which was more androcentric or structure, the clue to historical development. male-centric in nature. The question then It is possible, to retrieve the agential arises how historical events from the point capacities of women that may sometimes of view of women can actually come to defy neat categorizations in terms of have representations which are shaped to conventional classifications of social and present the omitted picture? There is no political action. In that women's public roles specific answer to this question, however are characterized by a politicization of their International Journal of Research & Review (www.gkpublication.in) 130 Vol.4; Issue: 7; July 2017 Maitree Vaidya Sabnis. Hidden Histories: Peasant Women and the Indian National Movement private roles. The medium to explore is classes to educate other women and usually visible in "specific articulations of contributed significantly to nationalist consent and resistance", which enables as literature in the form of articles, poems and well as constrains women from making their propaganda material. Shelter and nursing own history. The history by women and of care were also provided to nationalist women also has considerable levels and leaders who were in hiding from the British issues which are addressed in accordance authorities.[4] Outside the home Prabhatferis with the need of the time and hour. The were organized in which women from all Indian Freedom Struggle and the various castes and classes would walk to the local movements that were carried within its fold temple singing songs to rouse the nationalist had multiple affects and effects on the and patriotic feelings of the people. In society which was gradually becoming more addition they held meetings and conscious to the idea of „nation‟ and demonstrations, took part in satyagraha, „freedom‟. picketed toddy and foreign-cloth shops, India's struggle for independence is went to prison and also suffered brutalities of tremendous importance in the history of at the hands of the British police. Lastly, anti-colonial movements. The nationalist when the nationalist leadership was in jail, movement set the precedent of achieving the women took over the leadership roles independence through non-violence and and provided guidance to the movement. thus a whole new philosophy based on The mass participation of women in the ahimsa was born. The culmination of the nationalist movement is a well-recognized movement in the partition on religious historical reality. Their activities within the grounds of a country as big and culturally movement were, however, diverse and diverse as India was also significant. almost marginalized in comparison to the However, arguably the most important men. While some women participated aspect of this movement which need to be actively on the streets, others just gave brought forth for independence from a support to the movement. [5] The women historical point of view was that it saw mass emerged as an important force in support of participation by Indian women, women who the national movement under the leadership had till then been confined to the domestic of Gandhi, [6] who in his attempt to create a sphere whether they were of upper class, wider mass participation opened up middle class or lower class. On the other floodgates of women‟s political activism. hand Partha Chatterji makes it clear to us However the underlying problem is that that “The nationalist discourse we have these women cannot be simply assumed to heard so far is a discourse about women; be a homogenous group. Their participation women do not speak here. It is a discourse in the national movement can be viewed which assigns to women a place, a sign, an from different angles. On the one hand there objectified value; women here are not were women's organizations which sprang subjects with a will and a consciousness. We up all over the country with a view to now have to ask very different questions to further women's cause as well as that of the allow women in recent Indian history to country's independence. On the other hand speak for themselves”. [3] were the intense struggles of the lower class The contributions of women women (and men) against exploitation and especially of the middle class to the oppression of the colonial government as Independence movement are reflected in the well as that of the landlord-trader-forest number of studies that have been carried out contractor. so far. The middle class women were The recent feminist historians have involved in diverse nationalist activities, paid quiet deservedly so, deliberate attention both within and outside the home. Within to history of middle class women‟s the home they spun and wove khadi, held participation in the national movement. International Journal of Research & Review (www.gkpublication.in) 131 Vol.4; Issue: 7; July 2017 Maitree Vaidya Sabnis. Hidden Histories: Peasant Women and the Indian National Movement However, apart from sporadic works, the Thus to give a holistic point of view, historical records are silent about the this paper focuses on those movements participation of lower class women in the which are not essentially struggles spawned freedom struggle. The superfluous by women but movements where women‟s justification can be the lower classes were participation have been traced and recorded unable to cope with their miseries, which by women and women emerge as the central was the result of the exploitation at the players though the impact that is created hands of the upper classes or castes. does not remain remarkably women However the more apt justification can be oriented. The first movement discusses the felt in the absences of recorded material political participation of women in what has regarding the involvement of the lower come to be known as the „Oudh Revolt‟ classes in the national movement. The word which was led by the Kisan Sabha in Uttar freedom struggle naturally had a different Pradesh or United Provinces. The second connotation to the lower classes, which struggle discusses the Warli struggle of assumed the form of people‟s struggle. The 1945-47, which was also led by the Kisan woes of recording the history of the lower Sabha of the Communist Party of India classes women were much intense and deep (CPI) both carrying leftist cliché. due to the issue exclusive to them which focused more on meeting exploitation from Peasant upsurge in Awadh: Role of their own community members apart from Women [7] the others, thereby apparently extricating After the Uprising of 1857, the their issues from the larger national cause or dynamic of British rule changed and a need even the popular peasant struggles or tribal was felt to create an ally which would movements. Also, the historiography of enable the upholding of their rule in India. popular struggles in turn like the general Thus were created and buttressed a small histories, considered women under the class of feudal barons and their 'kinsmen' category of 'man' thereby marginalizing along with the rajas and maharajas of the their roles as the central players and Princely States. The taluqdars of Awadh negating their capacities of leadership and were one such category which found profound involvement. While written patronage in the British Raj.

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