Women, Caste, and Reform

Question 1

What is the difference between a reform and revolution?

Answer 1

A reform is gradual while a revolution is sudden

Question 2

Who were reformers?

Answer 2

Peopole who believed that changes were necessary in society and unjust practices needed to be combated by persuading people to change to a new way of life

Question 3

Compare the sitatuion of Women in the 19th century and today

Answer 3

19th Century:
1. Children married at young age
2. Hindus and Muslims could have more than one wife
3. Sati was praised and encouraged
4. If a women was educated she would become a widow
5. Women property rights restricted
6. No education given to women
7. People divided on lines of caste

Today:
1. Children are not married at ayoung age
2. Muslims men can have max of 4 wives and Hindus living in Western coast can have max 2 wives

Question 4

How did the new forms of communication challenge social customs and practices?

Answer 4

1. Cheaper to print – hence there was wide circulation
2. A form for expression of ideas for various people in their own languages. This led to social political, economic and religious debates on issues.

Question 5

Name an important reformer in the late 18th century, and his important actions

Answer 5

Raja Rammohun Roy, (1772 - 1833), founded Brahmo Sabha(later to be knoiw nas Brahmo Samaj) in Calcutta, to spread the knowledge of Western Education and bring equality and greater freedom for women. He started a campaign against the practice of sati.

Question 6

What was the perspective of the British towards such reforomers

Answer 6

The British happily accepted such changes as they anyway wanted to change Indian culture, which they thought was full of grave errors

Question 7

Name the five gender related issue in this time period

Answer 7

1. Sati
2. Widow Remarriage
3. Lack of Education for women
4. Representation for women
5. Child Marriage

Question 8

What does Sati mean? Define Sati

Answer 8

‘virtous woman’
It was the practice by which widows sacrificed herself sitting atop the funeral pyre of their deceased husband.

Question 9

How did RRR combat this practice?

Answer 9

By:
1. He was well-versed in Sanskrit, Persian, and several Indian European languages
2. Used ancient texts to show that were was no sanction for Sati
Later reformers also adopted the practice of using ancient texts to advocate for their cause.