Women and Religion in Medieval Assam: A Study of The Changing Patterns of Patriarchy

 The question of women’s status occupies a place of prime importance in the present day social scenario. It is ironical that in a country like India where women have made their mark in every significant field, she has also been the most oppressed and dominated being. Even today when science and education have attained such heights Indian society has not been able to shed its inhibitions concerning women. In analyzing the causes for such a predicament, usually much importance is put on the patriarchal basis of society being responsible for the inferior status of women. There is no doubt that patriarchy does have a large role to play in this respect, however an equally important factor to be considered is religion. In fact it is religion that provides patriarchy with a moral justification and an ideological rationale. In order to understand the role played by religion in defining women’s status the problem has to be viewed from a historical perspective 

                             Women and religion have shared a close relation since ancient times in India. For most women in a backward society religion forms the only available mode of articulation and self definition. Moreover in a primarily agricultural society women are tied up with religion more closely. From ancient times women have been associated with the cult of creation and have been revered accordingly. Women were important parts of all religious ceremonies. She had an equal role in economic as well as household activities. But with time gradually religion became institutionalized, property privatized and society stratified. These changes took their toll on women and her status witnessed a quick deteoriation. Women came to be limited to the household; she lost her right to education and property and moreover her role and participation in religion became minimized. Various social taboos came to be imposed upon women and thus her mobility received a setback. Naturally her contributions towards the economy of her respective households declined.   In spite of her selfless services towards the home and family she came to be considered as a valueless commodity whose worth was measured in the amount of dowry she took to her in-laws house. She came to be despised, considered a burden and was eventually ranked as equal with the lowest in society- the Shudras.