Encyclopaedia Of Indian Women Through The Ages The Middle Ages

Women have witnessed acute socio-economic problems in male-dominated society in the annals of Indian sub-continent. However, they maintained their identity and consequently emerged as a useful partner in the household affairs. The theme has been comprehensively weaved into for volumes, viz., ancient, medieval and modern India with a thrust on freedom struggle for Swaraj. It has vividly described status of women during the phases of history; her rights and duties, standard of education, lives of Devadasi and widows, female slaves, divorce, remarriage system, the Muslim queens, participatin of wimen in three major movements during Gandihan era, and their sacrifices, status of Dalit women, socio-economic regeneration, nuns in Kerala, women and family welfare, role in labour force and vision of Annie Besant. These Volumes would be useful for social scientists, researchers and students in India and abroad.

This comprehensive reference work is devoted exclusively to the women of the medieval world and covers not only the literature but also the history and sociology, religion and philosophy, art and music of women living from late antiquity to the fifteenth century.

This book deals with miseries and problems of Indian women with respect to their social class structure. India is known for its caste system and its economic and political history is based upon these classes. Feminist history is also interwoven with the social classes. Women were treated as private property in medieval India. In this book, women of elite classes in the middle ages such as Razyia and Noor Jahan are discussed. Razyia was scandalized with Yaqut solely due to her gender. Noor Jahan belonged to the vast harem of Emperor Jahangir. She had to survive in a harem, as well as strengthen her political position in the court of the great Mughals. The issues of the spinster princess like Jahanara and Zeb-un-nisa are also highlighted. The purdah had also set a standard for social morals for women in the middle ages. The political and cultural activities of Mughal women were the channels of their catharsis. They were able to accomplish things because they had money and the resources. The women of the middle and lower classes bore the burden of the class, family and society. This book also describes other aspects of that age such as clothing and jewelry.