What is purdah?
Purdah is a social practice secluding women from the rest of the public, especially men; it is commonly practiced by Hindu and Muslim women alike. This practice is thought to originate from Persian culture and was later adopted by Muslims around the 7th century.[1] Purdah consists of two forms: physical segregation of the sexes, and women covering their bodies to conceal their skin and form. [1]Women would begin to practice purdah from puberty till death or once she passed the childbearing age. Those who practice purdah are referred to as pardanashin or purdahnisham.
Purdah was brought to India by the Muslim rulers of the Mughal empire. Amir Timur is thoughts to have been the one to introduce this practice within India during his occupation. [1]Timur and other mughal kings believed in never allowing their wives to be seen by any males, and lived in harems in the palaces which were heavily guarded. [2]Not only that, but women were only able to talk to their relatives in the presence of their husbands. If a wife was to be seen in public it would be considered as a dishonour in which the consequence could be death or divorce, the consequence would depend on the family’s standing in society.[2] To see the outside world, the women would look through jalis, perforated screens. Many of the sites we visited that were built by Mughals had jalis.
By the 19th century, purdah had spread to upper Hindu classes, becoming a custom among the elite, which gained popularity as people sought to imitate the practices of royalty.[2] As the result of this exclusiveness, purdah became seen as a symbol of respectability as well. This practice was especially common amongst the Hindu women of northern India. Under the threat of invaders the practice of purdah rose, as a way keep women safe from invaders as seen by the stricter Hindus rules of women seclusion.[2] Poor women did not observe purdah as they could not afford to be secluded and not work. During the British hegemony in India purdah was observance was strictly adhered to which helped spread the practice to muslim minority within India. However since India’s independence the practice of purdah has decreased greatly within the Hindu community. Within the educated urban and rural elite area purdah is practiced less and is replaced by modest behavior.
However, purdah can be seen still practiced today by Rajput women. An integral part of family dynamic in India is a family’s honor is closely tied to the honor of the women. [3]A family’s honor depends on the virginity of unmarried girls and the fidelity of married ones, as such a women’s actions and movement are closely restricted. As such, many women, primarily in northern India and in rural areas still practice purdah.[3] When we visited the village of Gothadi in Dausa, the women would keep their heads covered with scarves and use the scarves to cover their faces, leaving only their eyes exposed, when speaking with strangers or if a man approached. Along with shielding their faces from us some women would also keep their heads down till we passed, looking up afterwards in cursiority when we were too far away to see their faces. Within the rural areas of India many families cannot be supported merely by their husband’s income and require the women in the family to work as well. This indicates that the women working in the field are of lower cast since they are engaged in heavy manual labor jobs.
Our Reflection
Growing up in a western country, the concept of purdah is difficult to understand. The idea that a woman has to cover herself in front of men and remain unseen, are interpreted as signs of oppression. It was with these internalized messages that I approached learning about purdah. However, after having an immersive experience in India, I definitely gained a new perspective. I do still believe that purdah can be used as an instrument to oppress women by perpetuating the notion that women are some kind of prized possession for men to keep hidden; I also acknowledge that some women feel comfortable and liberated being able to seclude themselves or shield their faces from being seen. More than acknowledgement, I also understand why some women may feel empowered by having the option of denying you the right to look at them freely.
The practice of purdah offers many benefits to women but it undoubtedly also restricts a women’s role within society. With the need to hide oneself from males this limits the jobs a women can have within society. This restriction that comes with practicing purdah at first confused me, but through visiting the village of Gothadi I saw how women were able to continue their practice of purdah while working. In the field there were men who supervised their work but they would keep a respectable distance from the women, allowing the women to not have to keep themselves covered as the work. To me this symbolic work environment of allowing women to both work and practice purdah at the same time as a testament to society’s respect for the practice of purdah.
Citations:
[1]https://www.britannica.com/topic/purdah
[3]http://factsanddetails.com/india/People_and_Life/sub7_3d/entry-4176.html
TCNJ India 2019 