Chapter 8 Women and Reform

Exercises Tick the correct option 1. She was the first graduate women of India Ans. Kadambini Basu 2.A woman who died on her husband's pyre was termed as Ans. Sati 3 He was the first Indian to protest against the custom of women die as satis. Ans. Raja 4. Who founded the mission in 1897 Ans. 5. According to NFHS-III,which of these States has the lowest percentage of ? Ans. Himachal Pradesh 6. Amar jiban is the autobiography of Ans. Rassundari Devi

State true or false 1. Ramabai Ranade autobiography was written in Telugu. (False) 2.Ruqaiya Hussain wrote extensively against parda practice in her book.(true) 3.the age of consent bill was passed for the prevention of child marriage. (True) 4. Sati system was prevalent only in few parts of India in the ancient times. (False) 5. Child marriage has been wiped out completely from our society. (False)

Short answer questions Q1. Why many Indian women were denied education in the 19th century? Ans. Indian women were denied education in the 19th century because the majority believe that education would create a bad influence on girls mind.

Q2. What is sati system? Why was it so prevalent in the ancient times? Ans. A woman whose husband died was burnt alive on the husband's pyre. Such an act was considered virtuous and the woman was termed as sati. The sati system was prevalent in many places in India since ancient time. According to this Hindu custom are wife immolated herself at the funeral pyre of her husband. It was believed that there was no life left for a woman after her husband's death.

Q3. Why is the issue of child marriage linked with the age of consent? Ans. The issue of child marriage linked with the age of consent because child marriage affected both boys and girls,child marriage had lasting consequences on the health ,education and social development of girls .As a result the rate of women dying in a child birth was extremely high.

Q4. What was Jyoti Rao Phule contribution in the field of women education? Ans. Jyoti Rao Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule where pioneers of women's education in Maharashtra. Jyotirao open the first school for girls in India in August 1848.

Q5.what reforms were brought by the British government to improve the condition of Indian women? Ans.Lord William Bentinck, the governor general of India passed a law in 1829 , abolishing the custom of sati ,according to this law the custom become illegal and punishable.

Long answer questions Q1.The idea of an independent woman was inconceivable.elaborate the statement highlighting the social evils that plagued them. Ans. Girls were not allowed it to go to school because the majority believe that education would create a bad influence on a girls mind. They had no right on family property child marriage was common and a girl's were usually married off at an early age, a girl had no say in selection of her husband and she would be married off to a much older man polygamy was practiced by men which affected mental emotional and social status of women. Female infanticide was committed as a girl child was often considered as a burden on family. woman whose husband died ,was burnt alive on the husband's pyre. Such an act was considered virtuous and the woman and was termed as sati. widow re-marriage was unheard of and even debarred buy Hindu laws.

Q2.describe the role played by Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in improving the condition of women. Ans. Raja Ram Mohan Roy:- Raja Ram Mohan Roy advocated the promotion of Western education and greater freedom and equality for women. He was the first Indian to protest against this custom of women dying as Satis.in spite of protest from orthodox Hindus he carried on his struggle against the custom. Raja Ram Mohan Roy also opposed child marriage, he made all effort to improve the plight of widows and supported widow remarriage. He focus on education for women as a social reform. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar:- Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar a great educator and philosopher worked endlessly to transform the society. His contribution towards education and changing the status of women in India was remarkable. Vidyasagar was specially book about the cause of widows. He used the ancient text to suggest that videos could remarry.this led the British government to pass a widow remarriage act in 1856. He was opposed the boycotted by many orthodox people.

Q3.why was the condition of widows in India measurable? What measures were introduced to improve their condition? Ans. The condition of widows in India measurable because women were treated as inferior and subordinate to men.the birth of a girl was unwelcome her marriage was a burden and if she become a widow then she was considered inauspicious. Humanware confined to their households. Educational opportunities for women where restricted,as many people did not consider educating girls of much use. A common superstitions of those times was that if a woman was educated she would be widowed. During the British rule,many officers of post office SIP custom against women such as sati and child marriage.even the introduction of Western education influenced people's mind that they begin to make attempt to come out of this author those practices.Indian leaders along with the British officers launched various movements to fight many social evils against women.

Q4.describe the role played by women to uplift the condition of other women in India. Ans. Many women came forward for the cause of women's empowerment.the begum of Bhopal played an important role in women's education.primary school for girls was founded at Aligarh Begum rokeya sakhawat Hussain started school for Muslim Indian women begin to enter universities many of them become doctors other become teachers, women also started writing critically about women's status in society. Pandita ramabai wrote rich accounts of miserable life of upper caste of women in the Hindu households.she arranged for some vocational training for widows living in Sharda Sadan ,founded by her ,so that they could sustain themselves. ************************************************