The Position of Women in Mediaeval Karnataka (An Old and Rare Book)

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About the Book This is a unique work dealing with a hitherto neglected subject of women, the position of women in mediaeval Karnataka. We have read about Queens; but we know next to nothing about donators, women who played great roles behind the screen as wives sisters, daughters They were heroines and poetesses too! Epigraphical and literary sources are aplenty to depict the parts played by women freely and equally in all walks of life, contributing for the continuation and development of culture. For altruism, be it for fame or religious merit, generosity and hospitality, encouragement of education and fine arts, in Karnataka was found a happy patron and behind almost all these patronages could be seen the hand of women. Some of them made themselves known, but many remained in the background.

The author of this book has dragged out even those but stood behind, women of humble origins. They not only ruled independently and jointly with their husbands but also preserved the security and integrity of the fiefs and kingdoms in the absence of male members. The contribution made by them for Sanskrit and Kannada Literature is high-lighted. They might not have added anything new, but preserved the prevalent traditions and practices. The author has shown how society provided them free and equal opportunities so that they could take an active part in all walks of life. Sex was no hindrance.

There are six chapters herein the first of which is a back ground. In the others women's role in religion, politics, society and literature is discussed.

Here is a rare but much needed contribution to Women Studies.

About the Author Dr. M. B. Padma received her B.A. Degree from the University of Mysore and was awarded Kaveri Bai Memorial Price by the University.

She passed her M.A. in First Class from the Mysore University. She secured the Doctorate Degree in History from the same University.

She has participated in various Seminars organized by different historical societies and presented research papers. She has a good number of research articles to her credit in both Kannada and English Her book on Research Methodology in History entitled "Ithihasa Samsodhana Marga" published by Bapco Publications, Bangalore, has been prescribed by the various Universities for Post-graduate and M.Phil. Courses.

She was promoted as Professor of History in 1985. Presently she is working as the Principal, University Evening College, and University of Mysore.

Foreword This book is a study of the position of women in Mediaeval Karnataka. The author, Dr. M.B. Padma, Professor of History and Principal. Mysore University Evening College, throws much new light on the problem of women in Mediaeval Karnataka. She believes and gives cogent arguments in support of her view that "on the whole, the position of women in Mediaeval Karnataka was respectable".

Works on the position of women in Mediaeval Karnataka are few. In such a situation, this work is a welcome publication. The present study roughly covers a period of six centuries from the age of the Chalukyas of Kalyana to the fall of Vijayanagara. The work is based primarily on a critical study of epigraphical sources with literary works constituting secondary sources to explain the position occupied by women in religious, political, social and literary fields.

Our author has explained in detail the temples and basadis built by women and the various liberal grants given by them with special reference to Attimabbe and the Hoysala queen Santaladevi. The third chapter entitled Women in Political Field shows that in Mediaeval Karnataka women had equal rights and free opportunities to play a noteworthy part in the political field. They were provided with opportunities to play a variety of roles in the political field. They occupied positions of power and privilege and shouldered administrative responsibilities as viceroys, governors, regents, managers of different institutions etc. The fourth chapter on Women and Social Life throws light on the respectable position accorded to women as mother, daughter, sister and wife in the domestic and social fields. Inscriptional evidence is given to testify to the equal economic status accorded to them. The Devadasi system is discussed at length. That women played an important part in the field of literature resulting in the enrichment of Sanskrit and Kannada literature is clearly brought out in the fifth chapter.

The need for a work on the position of women in Mediaeval Karnataka has in large measure been met. In this study the author has broken new grounds.

Introduction Generally the history of any land is believed to be the acorant of the kings and in a few cases, of queens who mied ever it. But normally is in their political achievements that are prominently narrated. Religion, arta, social life and other matters relating to that country find caly a brief mestion since they being mostly the achievements of mendolk men, saints and gifted men of letters and their works, the beautiful temples, basada ene bailt, sculptural and other arts encouraged or created by the mecaechs and others mostly form the subject-marter. The position of women is often ignored or disposed off in a few pages. It is a matter of great regret that half of the population has been so ingenitently ignored or forgotten by the other half. Only a passing mention is made about the position occupied by the former, bas often this noglic is given up in any serious historical chronicle of any country. Karnataka is no exception in this regard.

It is true that a study of the ruling dynasties of any country is necessary to divide its history into diferens convenient and important stages Such a study forms the skeletal framework for the writing of history. For example, in the history of Karnataka the Kadamba, the Ganga, the Chilukya, the Rashtrakata, the Hoysala and other prominent stages can be traced The historical accounts about the important rolling dynastics of Karnataka can be gleased from the history books on India. More details can be obtained in the history works on South India Special mention may be made of the histories on Karnataka written by Dr. Fleet, Rice, Colonel Wilks, Hayavadana Rao, Altekar, Moraes, Saletore, Derrett, P. B. Desai, M. V. Krishna Rao, Dr. S. Srikantha Shastri, N. Lakshminarayana Rao and R. S. Panchamsthi. All these works based on epigraphical studies mainly deal with the political history of Karnataka and occasionally they throw light on the social conditions of this land.

**Contents and Sample Pages**