Status of Women in Changing Urban Hindu Family

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. The method of Study. 3. The socio-cultural setting of the respondents. 4. Urban Hindu family--its traditional and changing form. 5. Position of women in theory and practice in the domestic and social life--historical perspective. 6. Role of education, political activities, family planning and social legislations, in improving status of women. 7. Women in decision making economic activities and inter-personal relations in changing Urban Hindu family. 8. Sociological implications of status of women in changing Urban Hindu family. 9. Conclusions. Bibliography.

"The present study is based on the first hand data collected from the 300 urban Hindu families of Gorakhpur city. Status of women in any society is a significant pointer to the level of culture of that society, while the new Indian constitution recognises equality of rights between men and women, society implicitly accepts a clear distinction in their roles and areas of interactions. At present a few enlightened families take pride in not discriminating between boys and girls in educational opportunities, the emphasis on feminine abilities remains and there is distinct difference in the degree of protection considered necessary for boys and girls, career motivation is emphasised for boys only.

Facts have been gathered to show the changes is attitudes and opinions regarding the age of marriage, choice of spouse, dowry widow-remarriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and maintenance. Employment of women, discrimination in wages and remuneration and impacts of work on family life are the interesting aspects of the present study.

The women is the mother of the race and is the liaison between generations. The exemplary qualities of Indian women viz; patience, endurance, love, effection, sympathy and tolerance have always been recognised. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru once said, " to awaken the people it is the women who must be awakened. Once she is on the move, the family moves, the village moves, the nation moves." The statement of Panditji, supports the importance of the problem under study. The outstanding fact about the study is that urban middle class educated women are experiencing the transitional changes from tradition to modernity." (jacket)