indian women&historical practices

hi everyone,

Yet this is gone but still some of these are being followed in some parts of our country.

Historical practices

Traditions such as sati, jauhar, child marriage, and devadasi have been banned and are largely defunct. However, some cases of these practices are still found in remote parts of India. The purdah is still practised by many Indian women.
Sati
Sati is an old, largely defunct custom, in which the widow was immolated alive on her husband's funeral pyre. Although the act was supposed to be a voluntary on the widow's part, it is believed to have been sometimes forced on the widow. It was abolished by the British in 1829. There have been around forty reported cases of sati since independence. In 1987, the Roop Kanwar case of Rajasthan led to The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act. After Roop Kanwar there was one more case of Sati where one old lady 80yrs was forced to become sati by his own family members.
Jauhar
Jauhar refers to the practice of the voluntary immolation of all the wives and daughters of defeated warriors, in order to avoid capture and consequent molestation by the enemy. The practice was followed by the Rajputs of Rajasthan, who are known to place a high premium on honour. This was done by queen Padmini but we don't hear about this now a days.
Child marriages
Earlier, child marriages were highly prevalent in India. The young girls would live with their parents till they reached puberty. In the past, the child widows were condemned to a life of great agony, shaving heads, living in isolation, and shunned by the society. Although child marriage was outlawed in 1860, it is still a common practice in some underdeveloped areas of the country. This is still being practiced in almost all parts of our country.
Purdah
Purdah is the practice of requiring women to cover their bodies so as to cover their skin and conceal their form. It does not, contrary to common beliefs, impose restrictions on mobility of women, curtailment of their right to interact freely and it is not a symbol of subordination of women. Now, it is a declining tradition in India, practiced mostly by north indian Hindus and Muslims.
Devadasis
Devadasi is a religious practice in some parts of southern India, in which women are "married" to a deity or temple. The ritual was well established by the 10th century A.D. In the later period, the illegitimate sexual exploitation of the devadasis became a norm in some parts of India. Ten years back this was in practice.

Reading the article, I think that how women are mistreated in the name of religion social practices,etc. thanks to the great souls who took it in their hands and abolished them. But it is sad to note that some of the practices are still there. Even now in this modern world, women face the same problems in a different manner.
What a pity! we are trademarked as the weak section.(eventhough we are strong in our minds!)

Sriniketan