Education & Empowerment: Women In Ancient India

Abstract

Women’s education is considered a necessary pre-requisite to their empowerment and vital to achieve gender equality. This is key to establishment of a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Hence countries across the globe are striving for it. This paper attempts to study the link between education and empowerment in context of women.  It also tries to explore why one section of the population-women have been deprived of education, which could have been the reason behind their subordination. It attempts to delve deep into our past- Ancient India history to figure out the roots of denial of education to women. Textual sources indicate that the early period of history (Rig Vedic Age) was one of relative equality between sexes as we hear of highly educated women, learned women scholars as well as warrior women. It seems they were empowered to exercise their rights and make their own choices. However, gradually over centuries with Manu’s code of law and the Dharamshastras these rights were withdrawn from women and restrictions imposed on them. Child marriage resulted was a major setback to women’s education. This led to the gradual loss of all other powers, prestige and status in society resulting in their subordination. This continued till modern age with some progress with respect to women’s education and

empowerment but the road to gender equality is far ahead.