Class 8 History Chapter 7 Notes - Women, Caste and Reform

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Facts that Matter

• About two hundred years ago, our society had many restrictions on women. They were not allowed to attend school or marry freely. In some regions, the practice of sati was present, where widows were praised for choosing to die on their husbands' funeral pyres.
• Society at that time was organised by caste. Brahmins and Kshatriyas were seen as upper castes, followed by traders and moneylenders, then peasants and artisans. The lowest were those responsible for cleaning cities and villages, and there were also untouchables, considered inferior by upper-caste individuals.
• Today, women have significantly improved their status in many areas. They are pursuing higher education and working in various jobs. Although caste discrimination still exists, it has diminished greatly.
• The positive changes we observe in society did not happen suddenly; they took many years to develop.
• Starting in the early 19th century, discussions aimed at eliminating social evils began, led by Indian reformers and groups.
• Raja Rammohun Roy was a prominent reformer who established the Brahmo Samaj in Calcutta.
• He advocated for Western education and women's education and strongly opposed sati. Many British officials also criticised certain Indian customs and supported his initiatives. As a result, sati was banned in 1829.
• Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar was another important reformer who supported widow remarriage. His efforts, along with those of British officials, led to a law in 1856 that allowed widows to remarry. Swami Dayanand Saraswati, founder of Arya Samaj, also backed this cause.
• These reformers believed that educating women was vital for improving their situation, leading to the establishment of several girls' schools through Vidyasagar and others' efforts.
• There was strong opposition to sending girls to schools, so they were often educated at home during the 19th century.
• In wealthy Muslim families in North India, women were taught to read the Koran in Arabic.
• Muslim women, such as the Begums of Bhopal, contributed significantly to women's education.
• They established a primary school for girls in Aligarh.
• Begum Rolceya Sakhawat Hossain also opened schools for Muslim girls in Patna and Calcutta.
• By the 1880s, more Indian women began pursuing university education. Some trained as doctors, while others became teachers. Many women published their views on women's status, including Tarabai Shinde, who wrote a book titled Stripurushtulna.
• Pandita Ramabai wrote about the poor conditions of upper-caste Hindu widows and founded a home for them in Poona.
• These changes worried conservative Hindus and Muslims.
• Nevertheless, women gained more freedom, joining various nationalist and socialist movements from the 1920s onwards.
• Caste inequalities had long harmed society. Reformers worked hard to eliminate these evils. In Bombay, the Paramhans Mandali was established in 1840 to fight against caste.
• During the 19th century, Christian missionaries became active, creating schools for tribal and lower-caste children. At the same time, many from low castes moved to cities seeking better opportunities.
• From the latter half of the 19th century, lower-caste individuals organised movements against caste discrimination, demanding social equality and justice. Notably, the Satnami Movement in central India was led by Ghasidas, a low-caste individual.
• In eastern Bengal, Haridas Thakur’s Matua sect worked among low-caste Chandala cultivators, questioning Brahmanical texts that supported the caste system.
• Jyotirao Phule, a low-caste leader, challenged the Brahmins, asserting that they claimed superiority as Aryans.
• He urged Shudras (labouring castes) and Ati Shudras (untouchables) to unite against caste discrimination.
• He founded the Satyashodhak Samaj to promote caste equality and wrote Gulamgiri, meaning slavery, in 1873.
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Ramaswami Naicker continued the fight for caste reform in the 20th century.
• Ambedkar, from a Mahar family, faced caste discrimination in his childhood, being made to sit outside the classroom and not allowed to drink from upper-caste taps. This was very disheartening.
• In 1927, he initiated a movement for temple entry, which faced opposition from Brahman priests.
• The non-Brahman movement started in the early 20th century, led by educated and affluent non-Brahman castes challenging Brahmanical authority.
• E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker, known as Periyar, founded the Self Respect Movement, motivating untouchables to assert their dignity and criticising Hindu scriptures.
• Numerous associations and movements were established by reformers to rid Indian society of various evils. Some notable examples include:
  • The Brahmo Samaj, founded by Raja Rammohun Roy in 1830 to eliminate idolatry and sacrifices.
  • The Prarthana Samaj aimed to remove caste restrictions, abolish child marriage, promote women's education, and allow widow remarriage.
  • Derozio and Young Bengal — Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, a teacher at Hindu College, Calcutta, initiated the Young Bengal Movement in the 1820s to promote progressive ideas and encourage students to question authority.
  • The Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Vivekananda, emphasised salvation through social service and selfless action.
  • The Veda Samaj, established in 1864, was inspired by the Brahmo Samaj and worked to abolish caste distinctions, promote widow remarriage, and women's education, while rejecting superstitions of orthodox Hinduism.
  • The Aligarh Movement, founded by Sayyid Ahmed Khan with the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875, later became Aligarh Muslim University, providing modern education with lasting impact.
  • The Singh Sabha Movement sought to rid Sikhism of superstitions and caste distinctions.

Words that Matter

• Sati: Sati is a practice where women were celebrated for choosing to end their lives by burning on their husbands' funeral pyres, highlighting societal pressures rather than true virtue.
• Untouchable: Untouchables were regarded as the lowest group by upper-caste individuals and were often barred from entering temples and restaurants.
• Gulamgiri: This is a book by Jyotirao Phule that translates to slavery.
• Stripurushtulna: Book by Tarabai Shinde that means a comparison between men and women.
• Conservative: Those who prefer to maintain traditional customs and resist change.
• Suffrage: The right to vote.

Dateline

• 1772–1833 — Raja Rammohun Roy implemented various reforms in Indian society during this time.
• 1829 — The practice of Sati was outlawed.
• 1856 — A law was enacted to allow widows to remarry.
• 1875 — The Arya Samaj was established.
• 1929 — The Child Marriage Restraint Act was introduced.
• 1927–1935 — Ambedkar spearheaded three movements for temple entry during this period.