The Social ION
Year : 2012, Volume : 1, Issue : 1and2
First page : ( 267) Last page : ( 277)
Print ISSN : 2319-3581. Online ISSN : 2456-7523.

Experiencing the wind of changes: case study of the maharashtrian women of late 19th century

Dr. Mitra Karabi

Deptt. of History, B.K. Girls‘College, Howrah, West Bengal, India, Email: sanjay_karabi@yahoo.com

Online published on 13 March, 2018.

Abstract

In the present paper the autobiography of Ramabai Ranade and that of Anandibai Karve are selected as source materials. Both of the ladies belonged to high caste, western-educated, renownedfamilies. They related their experience of late nineteenth Maharashtra. It was a period of political turmoil and social unrest. The question of women‟s modernization was highly debated. It is well-known that, Mahadev Govind Ranade and D.K. Karve were active social-reformists yet in personal life they had to face a lot of social and domestic challenges. While Mrs. Ranade was taught by her husband at home she faced severe humiliation from her in-laws. Mrs. Karve also related her bitter experience due to her marriage as a widowed lady. We learn of social reform projects theoretically however, these writings articulate the sufferings of the persons exposed to the attacks of traditionalsociety. Theaccounts also present an altogether exclusive experience of the ladies regarding gender-relationship and convince the reader of the 21st century that, complimentary conjugal relationship is a practical fact of life not an el-dorado of the dream.

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Keywords

Wind of change, Autobiography, Maharashtrian women, Social challenge, Modernisation of women.

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