Reassessing the Role of Women in Ancient Indian Texts and Society

This paper critically reassesses the role and representation of women in ancient Indian texts and society, drawing from Vedic literature, epic narratives like the Mahabharata and Ramayana, Dharmashastras, and Buddhist and Jain texts. It aims to challenge monolithic interpretations of gender roles by examining a range of socio-religious contexts and temporal shifts. Women in ancient India have traditionally been portrayed either as submissive homemakers or divine archetypes. However, textual evidence and archaeological findings suggest a far more nuanced reality. The study explores women’s participation in education, philosophy, politics, and rituals, and how their agency was shaped by evolving religious and cultural ideologies. By engaging with both classical texts and contemporary scholarship, the paper highlights the dynamic and often contradictory portrayals of women. This interdisciplinary approach offers a more inclusive historical narrative and calls for a reconsideration of gender roles in ancient Indian historiography.