Author: Saroj Kanjilal
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/PP/020400006
Abstract: This paper reinterprets the changing position of women during the Vedic period by examining religious texts, socio-economic developments, and cultural patterns. While early Vedic society offered women notable space in ritual and intellectual domains, the later phase saw increasing restrictions. The status of women in the Vedic period of ancient India reflects a complex and evolving socio-religious landscape shaped by changing economic, ritualistic, and philosophical frameworks. During the early Vedic period (c. 1500–1000 BCE), women enjoyed relatively elevated social positions, marked by access to education, participation in religious rituals, intellectual contributions, and a degree of autonomy in marriage and social life. Female sages such as Ghosha, Lopamudra, and Gargi exemplify women’s engagement in theological discourse and spiritual pursuits. However, the later Vedic period (c. 1000–600 BCE) witnessed a gradual decline in women’s status, influenced by the institutionalization of patriarchy, the growing rigidity of social hierarchies, and the codification of religious norms. Practices such as restricted education, diminished ritual participation, and increased emphasis on domestic roles became more pronounced. This paper undertakes a socio-religious analysis of women’s status in the Vedic age, examining literary sources such as the Vedas, Brahmanas, Upanishads, and Dharmashastras to trace this transformation. By highlighting both continuity and change, the study underscores how religious ideology and social structures jointly shaped gender roles in ancient Indian society.
Keywords: Socio- Economic, Vedic Period, Religious Text, Influence, Religious.
Page No: 37-42