Hinduism

1
Hinduism

• Gender and Religion

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Table of Content

• Classical Hinduism
• The Early Vedic Period
• The Later Vedic Period
• Treatment of women in Classical Hinduism
• Female infanticide
• Child Marriages
• Burning of women
• Restrictions
• Widows
• Elderly Women
• India

• Hinduism and Gender today
• Nationalism
• Female Identity and National Hinduism
• Hindu Feminism
• Female Ascetics
• The Ideal Hindu Woman
• Stidharma
• Conclusion

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The Early Vedic Period

• In the earliest Hindu period, Vedic society
  seemed to have been egalitarian.
• During the Rgvedic period (1500- 1000 B.C.E) is
  it claimed that women enjoyed a high position in
  society surpassing the civilization of ancient
  Greece and Rome.
• There few positions reserved only for men.

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Later Vedic Period

• Equal status of women, was short lived, and
  steadily declined in the post-Vedic period (from
  1000 B.C.E)
• In the Laws of Manu, the wifes individuality is
  merged with that of her husband.
• Strict rules were imposed upon the women and
  widows.

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Female Infanticide

• The Vedas prescribe that a dowry be given by the
  brides family to the groom, meant that a girl
  was seen as a burden.
• A women who gave birth to a girl was ashamed, and
  much stigma attached to a lady who only gave
  birth to daughters.

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Child Marriage

• Child marriage of daughters 5-6 years old was
  common due to the custom of dowry and to avoid
  scandals.
• Hindu Law books prescribe that the best partner
  for a man in one-third his age.
• Thus a man 18 year old should marry a girl 6
  years old!

7
Burning of Women

• Bride-Burning his is often related to dowry,
  when the brides family cannot pay up to the
  amount demanded by the in-laws. Often the in-laws
  make demands in excess of those made at the time
  of marriage.
• Wife-Burning A Hindu-Aryan husband could at any
  time accuse his wife of infidelity. The accused
  wife would be required to pass through a blazing
  flame.
• Witch-Burning Women who does not follow the
  rules in society.
• Widow-Burning (sati)

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Restriction on women

• No Property
• Dress and Veiling
• Dowry
• No Divorce

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Widows

• "Sati" means a virtuous woman
• A woman who dies burning herself on her husbands
  funeral fire was considered most virtuous, and
  was believed to directly go to heaven.
• When performed singly it is referred to as Sati,
  when performed en masse by all the women and
  daughters of a town in anticipation of their
  widowhood (eg. when the men were to fight a
  battle against all odds), it is known as Jauhar.

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Hinduism and Gender Today

• How have gender roles in Hinduism today changed
  from what they were were throughout history?

Hinduism is a religion that is very rich in
culture and tradition. There is strong division
among Indias people on what the socially
acceptable roles of male and female members of
their society.
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Hindu Nationalism (Hindutva) and Masculinization

• Socially constructed ideas of masculinity and
  femininity shape female and male participation in
  nation building.
• The RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) founded
  in 1925.
• Shiv Sena (1966)
• VHP (1964)
• BJP (1980)

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Female Identity and National Hinduism

• Rashtriya Sevika Samiti Organization of Women in
  Service to the Nation - Womens wing of RSS
  political party (1936).
• In the 1980s BJP, RSS and VHP launched
  aggressive movements with women activists.
• Females are inspired by warrior goddesses such as
  Durga, Rani (queen) or Jhansi.

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Hindu Feminism A New Woman Movement

• Strength, intellect, and wealth -characteristics
  of the eight armed Durga goddess.
• Consider themselves sparks of fire.
• Strongly linked to Kali goddess of war and
  destruction.
• Devi Mata The Great Divine Mother.

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Female Ascetics

• What is asceticism?
• Why do women take up ascetic roles defined in the
  idiom of masculinity that is dominated by men and
  male institutions?

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The Ideal Hindu Woman

• Traditionalists
• Dharmapatni or pativrata righteous wife
• Family
• Marital felicity

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Stidharma

• What is Stidharma?
• Is it prevalent today?

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In Conclusion

• Gender is a term that can be used to refer to
  the feminine and masculine characteristics that
  define and manifest Hindu culture and religion.
• With the rise of nationalism and the India
  underwent a gender transformation in the
  political sphere.
• Successful progress made to free the role of
  women, however, with a deep cultural tradition
  the laws cannot be fully implemented.
• Altogether, the male and female in Hinduism are
  treated individually as contributing unique
  characteristics to a more powerful and
  constructive entity.