Download WOMEN IN ANCIENT INDIA 2500

WOMEN IN ANCIENT INDIA 2500-250 B.C.E.
I.
HISTORY OF INDIA
A.
GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA
1.
HIMALAYAS IN NORTH - HIGHEST MOUNTAINS IN WORLD
2.
NUMEROUS RIVERS COMING FROM MOUNTAINS
3.
MOST IMPORTANT
a.
INDUS - FATHER OF INDIA
b.
GANGES - MOTHER OF INDIA
4.
NORTHERN RIVER BASINS WATERED BY SEASONAL
MONSOONS
5.
OTHER DISTINCT GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES
a.
THAR DESERT IN NORTHWEST
b.
PUNJAB AREA OF MORE MODERATE CLIMATE
c.
DECCAN - DESERT
d.
WESTERN & EASTER GHATS
(1)
HEAVY FORESTED COAST LINES
e.
MALABAR COAST
(1)
RAINFALL HEAVY
(2)
WHERE SPICES FROM
f.
SURROUNDED BY 3 MAJOR BODIES OF WATER
(1)
INDIAN OCEAN
(2)
ARABIAN SEA
(3)
BAY OF BENGAL
B.
RECONSTRUCTION OF HISTORY
1.
PRESENTS FORMIDABLE PROBLEMS AS NO WRITTEN
LANGUAGE FOR EARLIEST CENTURIES LIKE NEAR EAST &
CHINA
2.
EARLIEST WRITTEN SOURCES RELIGIOUS IN NATURE
a.
WHETHER PRESCRIPTIVE OR DESCRIPTIVE
PROBLEMATIC
3.
INDIA NOT BROUGHT UNDER 1 RULER UNTIL ASHOKA IN
MAURYAN EMPIRE C. 3RD. C. B.C.E.
4.
AFTER BREAKDOWN OF THIS EMPIRE IN NEXT GENERATION,
NO EQUALLY STRONG CENTRAL GOVT ESTABLISHED UNTIL
4TH C. A.C.E.
5.
INDIA THEREFORE HAS MANY LANGUAGES, RELIGIOUS
BELIEFS, GEOGRAPHICAL DIVERSITY & HISTORY
II.
WOMEN IN INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION 2500-1500 B.C.E.
A.
INTRODUCTION TO CIVILIZATION
1.
EARLIEST CIVILIZATION IN INDUS RIVER VALLEYS
a.
IN PUNJAB AREA
(1)
NOW NW INDIA & PAKISTAN
b.
IN SIND AREA
(1)
NOW GUJARAT IN INDIA
2.
DARK-SKINNED INDIGNEOUS PEOPLE
3.
SITES ONLY DISCOVERED THIS LAST CENTURY
4.
YET CIVILIZATION LASTED 1000 YEARS
5.
WRITING NOT YET DECIPHERED
B.
STRUCTURE OF CIVILIZATION
2
APPEARS TO BE SOPHISTICATED & HIGHLY ORGANIZED
a.
AGRICULTURE & TRADING CULTURE
b.
KNOWN TO HAVE TRADED WITH MESOPOTAMIA
c.
WIDE NETWORK OF IMPORTS & EXPORTS
2.
IRRIGATION SYSTEM
3.
STANDARD WEIGHTS & MEASURES
4.
STANDARIZED BRICKS FOR BUILDING
5.
SEWER SYSTEMS UNDERGROUND EVEN WITH MANHOLE
COVERS
6.
RITUAL BATHING AREAS
7.
OBSESSION WITH CLEANLINESS & PURIFICATION
a.
STILL IMPORTANT PART OF HINDU CULTURE
8.
EACH HOME HAD BATHROOM
9.
OVER 70 CITIES
a.
MANY MORE TOWNS & VILLAGES
b.
ABANDONED NOW
10.
MAJOR CITIES
a.
MOHENJO-DARO
(1)
TRADED DIRECTLY WITH SUMERIAN
CIVILIZATION
b.
HARAPPAN
(1)
BY 2300 B.C.E. HAD 35,000 PEOPLE
c.
LOTHAL
RELIGION OF INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
1.
WORSHIPPED FORMS OF MOTHER-GODDESS DEVI
2.
WORSHIPPED SHIVA
a.
LORD OF THE DANCE
b.
HE BOTH GIVER & DESTROYER OF LIFE IN LATER HINDU
PANTHEON
3.
ART FORM OF SOMEONE IN YOGI POSITION
4.
IMAGES OF GODDESSES PROVIDED MODEL FOR FIGURES
RECURRING FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS
DOWNFALL OF INDUS CIVILIZATION
1.
ORIGINALLY THOUGHT DUE TO INVASION OF INDOEUROPEANS ARYANS
2.
BUT NOW THOUGHT DUE TO NATURAL CAUSES OF
EARTHQUAKES & SILTING UP OF RIVERS & HEAVY FLOODING
3.
COURSE OF INDUS & GHAGGER & HAKRA RIVERS CHANGED
DRASTICALLY & SUDDENLY
1.
C.
D.
III.
WOMEN IN ARYAN CULTURE OR VEDIC AGE 1500-500 B.C.E
A.
INTRODUCTION
1.
AS FEW ARTIFACTUAL EVIDENCE OUR KNOWLEDGE OF
ARYANS COMES PRIMARILY FROM THEIR RELIGIOUS
WRITINGS
a.
THE VEDAS
2.
THEY LEFT NO CITIES LIKE HARAPPA
IV.
WOMEN IN VEDIC AGE OR ARYAN AGE
A.
ARYANS
1.
CAME TO INDIAN IN C 1500 B.C.E.
3
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
B.
INDO-EUROPEAN SPEAKING (SANSCRIT)
ENTERED INDIA VIA HINDU KUSH
NOMADIC, CATTLE-RAISING PEOPLE
EVENTUALLY WILL SETTLE GANGIC PLAINS
THEIR RELIGION WILL DEVELOP INTO HINDUISM
a.
BUT PROBABLY AMALGAMATION OF INDIGNEOUS
BELIEFS & THEIR OWN
b.
WHEN MALE GODS TOOK OVER SUPREMACY FROM
FEMALE GODDESSES
SOURCES FOR WOMEN
1.
RELIGIOUS WRITINGS
a.
VEDAS - RIG VEDA, UPANISHADS,
2.
LAW CODES - LAW OF MANU
3.
EPICS - MAHABHARATA, RAMAYANA
4.
VEDAS FORM EARLIEST & MOST AUTHORITATIVE
SCRIPTURAL CORPUS FOR HINDUS
a.
DATING FROM 1500-500 B.C.E
5.
BROUGHT WITH THEM INDO-EUROPEAN TRADITION OF
a.
PATRILINEAL & PATRILOCAL FAMILY
6.
GOALS OF LIFE
a.
PRESERVATION OF MALE DOMINANCE & ARYAN
IDENTITY
b.
DESIRE FOR PROGENY, PROSPERITY & LONGEVITY
7.
RELIGIOUS RITUALS TO ACHIEVE ABOVE GOALS
a.
BASED PRIMARILY ON FAMILY
8.
WOMEN AS WIFE & MOTHER IMPORTANT TO THOSE GOALS
V.
ROLE OF HINDUISM IN ESTABLISHING WOMEN'S ROLE IN ANCIENT INDIA
A.
FACETS OF HINDUISM
1.
KARMA
2.
DHARMA
3.
REINCARNATION
4.
CASTE SYSTEM
B.
SPECIFIC ROLE OF WIVES IN RITUALS
1.
HUSBAND AS PATRIARCHAL HEAD WOULD HAVE BEEN IN
CHARGE OF RITUALS
2.
SOME SAY WOMEN SILENT PARTNERS IN VEDIC RITUALS
3.
BUT OTHERS THINK OTHERWISE
4.
FOR UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES COULD GODS BE LEFT
UNATTENDED & IGNORED
5.
SO IF WIFE ALONE IN HOUSE SHE ASSUMED RITUAL ROLE OF
HOST TO GODS
6.
HER USUAL JOB TO TEND HOUSEHOLD FIRE
a.
NEVER ALLOWED TO GO OUT
VI.
GODDESSES
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
NUMEROUS GODDESSES
B.
SARASWATI
1.
CONSORT TO BRAHMA
a.
ONCE MIGHTIEST OF HINDU GODS
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
4
(1)
SET WORLD IN MOTION
(2)
LOST NB WITH EMERGENCE OF SHIVA & VISNUA
2.
SHE RIDES WHITE SWAN
3.
GODDESS OF LEARNING, ELOQUENCE, KNOWLEDGE
4.
HELD IN SPECIAL ESTEEM BY STUDENTS, WRITERS,
MUSICIANS
5.
SHE CREATED FRUITS OF CIVILIZATION
a.
1ST ALPHABET
b.
ARTS
c.
MATHEMATICS
d.
MUSIC
e.
MAGIC
6.
MANY CONSIDER HER MOTHER OF ALL LIFE SINCE IT WAS HER
DIVINE ENERGY UNITED WITH AWARENESS OF BRAHMA
PARVATI
1.
SHIVA'S WIFE
2.
IN HER INCARNATIONS SHE IS
a.
DURA - 10 ARMED GODDESS OF BATTLE
b.
OR KALI - MORE LATER
LAKSMI
1.
WIFE OF VISHNU (THE PRESERVER, ALSO KRISHNA & RAMA,
(SITA'S HUSBAND)
2.
OFTEN SHOWN SEATED ON LOTUS
3.
GODDESS OF GOOD FORTUNE, PROSPERITY, WEALTH &
BEAUTY
4.
SHE REPRESENTS ALL THAT IS FEMININE
5.
WHILE HER CONSORT VISHNU
a.
REPRESENTS ALL THAT IS MASCULINE
6.
ALSO WORSHIPED AS SITA
a.
INCARNATION OF PERFECT WIFE
DURGA
1.
WARRIOR GODDESS
2.
ONE OF AVATARS OF DEVI
3.
SHE IS INVINCIBLE IN BATTLE
GODDESS DEVI AS SHAKTI
1.
LIKE HER PALEOLITHIC ANCESTOR DEVI-SHAKTI
a.
LESS ANTHROPOMORPHIC THAN CONCEPTUAL
2.
ESSENCE OF BEING
3.
ENERGY OF COSMOS THAT GIVES ETERNITY
4.
VERYTHING COMES FROM HER
5.
SHE IS SINGLE SOURCE OF ENERGY OF ALL THAT HAPPENS &
EVER WILL HAPPEN
6.
ONE GREAT MOTHER
KALI
1.
MOST TERRIBLE ASPECT OF DEVI
2.
KALI SENT TO EARTH TO DESTROY RACE OF DEMONS
a.
BUT CAUSED SUCH DEVASTATION MANY DIED
3.
TO BRING END TO SLAUGHTER HER HUSBAND SHIVA THREW
HIMSELF UPON DEAD BODIES
4.
ONLY WHEN KALI REALIZED SHE TRAMPLING ON SHIVA'S
CORPSE DID SHE COME TO HER SENSES
5
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
KALI OFTEN DEPICTED AS BLACK GODDESS
HER TEETH ARE BLOOD-STAINED FANGS
RIVERS OF BLOOD FLOW FROM HER
SHE IS CREATIVE & DESTRUCTIVE FORCE
IN INDIA TODAY BLOODY SACRIFICES STILL MADE TO
a.
b.
VII.
HER
KALIGHAT TEMPLE IN CALCUTTA
CALCUTTA NAMED FOR HER
MARRIAGE & FAMILY CUSTOMS
A.
ROLES OF MAIDEN & BRIDE
1.
MUCH OF IDEAL ROLE OF WOMAN
a.
CAN BE LEARNED FROM IMAGES OF MAIDEN & BRIDE
2.
IN RIG VEDA DAUGHTER & MAIDEN PRAISED FOR THEIR
a.
BEAUTY
b.
APPEALING ADORNMENT
c.
AMPLE HIPS
3.
THIS DESCRIPTION SUGGESTS
a.
INTEREST IN FEMININE SENSUALITY
b.
CHILD-BEARING CAPACITY OF GIRL
4.
AT FESTIVAL GATHERINGS
a.
YOUNG VIRGINS MET ELIGIBLE MEN
b.
FLIRTATIOUS COUPLED AFTER INITIATING
RELATIONSHIP
c.
TURNED TO PARENTS FOR APPROVAL
d.
& MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENTS
5.
BUT GIRL WATCHED AS SHE TO BE VIRGIN BRIDE
6.
IN ADDITION PRACTICAL ADVICE GIVEN TO BRIDE
a.
SHE NOT TO BE ANGRY OR HOSTILE TO HUSBAND
b.
WIFE TO BE
(1)
TENDER
(2)
AMIABLE
(3)
GLORIOUS
(4)
MOTHER OF MALES
(a)
MAY YOU BE THE MOTHER OF A HUNDRED
SONS
7.
BOTH DOMESTIC & PUBLIC RITUALS EMPHASIZED COPRESENCE OF HUSBAND & WIFE
B.
INDIA TANTRIC CULT
1.
BASED ON POWER OF FEMALE SEXUALITY
2.
TANTRIC CULTS WORSHIPPING GODDESSES WITH MAGICAL
CEREMONIES
a.
APPEARED AMONG BOTH HINDUS & BUDDHISTS
3.
ORIGINS OF THESE CULTS OBSCURE
a.
SINCE FOLLOWERS ENJOINED TO SECRECY WHEN
INITATED
4.
AFTER INITIATION ONE HAD RIGHT TO PRACTICE & TEACH
TANTRA
5.
SOME SCHOLARS BELIEVE ITS SEXUAL SYMBOLISM
TREACEABLE TO PHALLIC SYMBOLS FOUND IN
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES IN INDUS VALLEY CULTURE
C.
D.
6
SATI
1.
TALE OF DISMEMBERMENT OF GREAT GODDESS IN HER FORM
AS SATI
a.
WIFE OF SIVA
2.
SATI STORY ECHOES ELEMENTS OF EGYPTIAN STORY OF ISIS
& OSIRIS
3.
& IS PERHAPS RELATED TO INDIAN STORY OF RAMA'S WIFE
SITA
a.
WHO CALLED THE FURROW
b.
BECAUSE SHE WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN BORN IN A
PLOWED FIELD
DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION FOR MALES & INFERIORITY FOR
FEMALES
1.
AS MORE & MORE RITUALS DEVELOPED
2.
IT BECAME NECESSARY FOR BRAHMAN MALES TO DEVOTE
MORE TIME TO LEARNING
3.
AT THIS TIME YOUNG GIRLS OR WOMEN NOT ALLOWED TO BE
EDUCATED
4.
SOON IT WAS NECESSARY FOR UNEDUCATED WOMEN TO BE
MORE CHASTE AS
a.
MEN CONTROLLED MORE & MORE OF HINDU RITUALS