INDIAN WOMEN Devaki Jain Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. January 1975 (Pausa 1896) Acknowledgements © Price Rs. 15·00 Published by the Director, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, Patiala House, New Delhi-110 001 Sales Emporia, Publications Division: Super Bazar (2nd floor), Connaught Circus, New Delhi Botawala Chambers, Sir Pherozeshah Mehta Road, Bombay-400 001 8, Esplanade East, Calcutta-700 001 Shastri Bhawan, 35, Haddows Road, Madras-600 006 For making me aware of the woman issue by inviting me to com- pile this volume, I owe Sheila Dhar, of the Publications Division, Government of India, my first expression of gratitude. Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay has been the wise counsellor for this compilation. She indicated the areas which needed investi- gation and guided me to persons who were interested in the subject. Andre Beteille, Ashok Rudra, Ravi Dayal and Rajani Desai have been the exploited friends. Sparing time, offering ideas and encouragement as and when required. Every contributor can, in fact, be grouped with these four just mentioned. They have all allowed time generously for discussing not only their articles but the whole book-and extended themselves far beyond the normal role of contributors. Pitambar Pant, Wendy Sommer, my father and my husband read the manuscript and offered suggestions which have made substantial improvements to the book. Special thanks are due to Benoy Sarkar for designing the book and its cover; and to Madan Mahatta and T. S. Natarajan for the photo- graphs. D. Anjaneyulu and Shakuntala Mahawal have been strong allies in the Publications Division steering the manuscript to its final publication. One person who absorbed the many burdens and trials of this book is Shri Niwas-who for one year enthusiastically tended and typed the papers that have become this book. Others who Introduction most generously gave me similar assistance are Antoinette Lee, P. Vasudevan and V. K. Thakur. To all of them I owe my deepest gratitude. Devaki Jain Mrs. DevakiJain (b. 1933), M.A. (Oxon.), who taught Econo- mics at the Miranda House, Delhi Ulliversity, is now eng- aged in research, and contributes articles on current affairs to newspapers and periodicals. Qroduction In the first decade after Independence, when India was seeking to re-establish an identity, every aspect of its life needed to be explored, considered, recognised. Some of the images that had been formed while it was a colony had to be effaced and'more authentic ones offered. An earlier book on Women of India edited by Tara Ali Baig and brought out by the Publications Division in 1958, was compiled in that spirit. It described the achievements of Indian women and illustrated how they were partners with men in a variety of activities. Most of the contributors to that book were outstanding women, specialists in their .field. Today in the 1970s the curiosity is of a different kind-as is to be expected. The country has had twenty-five years to establish an identity, to display its characteristics and capabilities. In fact, some women ask "vVhy a book on women? Why not on the men of India ?"-implying that there is really no need to single women out, that they are part of a society, and its problems and hopes are their problems and hopes. Such a reaction in a sense measures the change between the fifties and the seventies. There are others, however, who believe that women in India and elsewhere do have to identify themselves and press their case for a better place in the society, that the task of the women's movement is not yet over. Then there is the controversial hypothesis-supported by persons in India and abroad-that there is something unique about Indian women. They seem to be participating more than and so on-from the soft areas of judgement. But this simplicity in other societies at the highest levels of leadership and decision- is an illusion. Even in deciding what are the elements to be cho- making with confidence and ease. sen to, say, establish equality with men or in deciding the criteria to be used in judging the data, value creeps in. For example, the Finally, there is the phenomenon which has made all this formulation of goals for women in terms, say, of equality with men, curiosity and interest urgent and important-the emergence of is only one view. Another formulation could be-what goals the women's liberation movement in the West. Whatever be the would women set for themselves, irrespective of what the men have extravagances of the literature and discussions pouring out from or want? this movement, it has brought to the surface the issue of the role of men and women in society in general. It is questioning the Which of these two formulations would be acceptable to any traditional roles that have been assigned to the sexes based on bio- set of persons would depend on whether women identify themselves logy and custom, nature and culture. It is challenging men and as a category in some ways different from the men-say, with diffe- women to assess themselves again. It has certainly made people rent dispositions and interests-or not. self-conscious about making stereotyped statements on the capa- bilities of women. Among ardent feminists the basic biological difference is accepted, but doubt is cast whether this difference should be The movement may not be new in the sense that people of all extended· to aptitudes. The assumption that women are more ages have commented upon the power and energy of women, on naturally the tenders of home and children, is now challenged the significance of the roles they can play. The same people have in the West-as home and children have often imprisoned appealed from time to time for nations to tap the intelligence, women, beyond endurance. In their demand that men share the energies of women. Some may have said that even through or take over domestic responsibility there is a suggestion the family and household, women's power can be harnessed. Others that there are no real differences in drives and disposi- may have widened this sphere to embrace all activities. The gene- tions. ral theme has been to deplore the tendency to relegate women to areas where they play no role in decision-making or where On the other hand, some of those who are doing research in their dignity is undermined. hormones and behaviour suggest that the physiological apparatus does influence aptitudes, the quality of emotional needs and ex- The women's liberation movement, however, has widened pressions. Women have certain special structures because they the sphere of these old messages. It has created an interest create and deliver a complete organism-namely, a baby. This amongst all kinds of people all over the world to find out more biological function of procreation of the race develops in her cer- about women and the roles they are playing. The number of tain reflexes and aptitudes. Characteristics like softness and books being written, commissions and committees being appoin- warmth of the female body may be playing a satisfying role ted to study the status of women, is a reflection of this interest. for the infant. These features of the women's body are conse- quential to the hormonal milieu of the female. Sensory signals But is it possible to define, to give content to the terms equa- arising from suckling and physical contact with the baby, pro- lity, liberation, status? vide gratification and a sense of fulfilment. It is suggested that the patience and sense of achievement so obtained goes a long way At first sight, it may seem simple enough to separate the areas to make her better adaptable to social stresses. of hard facts-say, statistics relating to economics, law, education feel ill-treated by men. Technological change-apart from reli- Liberation, another term III use, becomes very vague unless one postulates an objective. If child and home care are consi- gious and social attitudes-must be held primarily responsible for dered "lower" chores, then liberation for women would mean not the unhappiness of women in the West. Motherhood has meant having to do these. But if child and home care provide a being house-bound; beauty has meant exploitation. But in as source of joy and fulfilment-then liberation may have to be from much as their rejection of traditional roles springs from the other types of bondage, for example,-liberation from a constrict- vulnerability it has implied, it is not, in my view, a sufficiently ing, male view of women. free choice. Status, if seen as a derivative, the result of a pattern of If the goal is not only to improve physical conditions but relationships between men and women-a pattern composed of also achieve a "status", a regard by others in the society which images they have of themselves and each other-certainly cannot lends authority, power, then action, it seems to me, should be be evaluated by quantifiable measures either. Status for one set not in the direction of denying a separate identity but in removing of women may be in relation to what other women have-now obstacles, such as immobility, an optionless occupation of menial or in the past; to others what men have, and to a third what tasks, humiliation in terms of non-participation in decision-making attributes they think men would respect. Status really lies in the and so on. Child care, being beautiful, being protectively handled eyes of the beholder. and protecting in return, the extra touches of self-denial and self- neglect involved in child-rearing, all can in certain circumstances There is bound to be a great deal of difference of opinion be- mould women to be "superior" to men-command the respect tween societies, between generations as well as probably within of men and children.