Women in Rural India- A practical Insight By Shilanjani

                                      WOMEN IN RURAL INDIA: A PRACTICAL INSIGHT
                                                                                 By
                                                                 Shilanjani Bhattacharyya
                                                     TATA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, HYDERABAD
                      

The position of women in the society has been subject to perennial debate and discussion.  Women have been denied independence and liberty since ancient times. Such instances of injustice and discrimination in the treatment of women have been most rampant in rural areas due to dearth of adequate awareness and education. Rural India seems to cling on to the traditional view of the subjugated position of women in the society.

Through a case study conducted in the Bolghatpally village of Mehboobnagar district in April 2014 , I have attempted to understand the everyday life and future aspirations of several village women. The following is an account of the most striking lifestory that I have encountered in the process of the case study. This particular account amply reflects the fact that there are exceptions to the traditional view of the subjugated position of women that the larger part of rural India seems to cling on to. 

It was yet another day of fieldwork in the Bolghatpally village of Mehboobnagar District. In the course of conducting the case study, I was looking out for women who would consent to participate in the same. Suddenly, the sound of a baby laughing in the courtyard of a house caught my attention, making me walk up to him. As I inched closer to the child, I observed that a lady was seated beside the baby, and was deeply engrossed in reading something. Fascinated by this rare sight in such rural settings, I requested our field coordinator, Mr. Mahaboob to seek permission for entering the house and speaking to the lady.

The lady warmly welcomed us and gladly consented to participating in the case study. A Hindu by religion, she was eighteen years of age and was also a member of the Lambada Tribe. She had studied till intermediate in the Government Girls’ Junior College, Achampet and was presently a housewife.

There were 6 members in the family of the lady, inclusive of herself. Her husband, who had studied till intermediate, worked as a conductor in the APSRTC (Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) Bus Services. Her brother in law was presently pursuing M.Tech at an engineering college in Hyderabad after having successfully completed his B.Tech degree from the same institution. Her father in law was the head of the family, as he was the main bread winner. Though he was uneducated, he efficiently carried out agriculture and cultivation of crops. Extremely capable of managing his own lands, his efficiency seemed to have stemmed from his years of practical experiences rather than formal education. As asserted by the lady, he took great care of his family and especially her and was the major reason for their self-sufficiency and prosperity. The contentment and financial stability of the family was amply reflected in the well maintained house and the well manicured garden that surrounded it. The other members of the family were the one year old baby of the lady, and her mother in law. Like her father in law, her mother in law was also uneducated, but that did not deter her from helping her husband in agriculture. Thus, it can be inferred that the support and aid provided by the mother in law to the father in law in practising agriculture was also a major determinant of the family’s financial well being and welfare.

The lady also conveyed the vital information that she played a major role in the proper functioning of the family by religiously carrying out her duties of a housewife. She supported the other working members of her family by managing the domestic chores and also providing care and nurture to the baby.

Though a housewife at present, the lady had pursued her studies till the intermediate level. Due to lack of proper educational facilities in her own village, her parents had sent her to residential schools, in order to ensure that she received a good education. Such an attitude of the lady’s parents is praiseworthy, as most parents do not prefer to adequately educate their girl children in such rural surroundings. As conveyed by her, she had done her primary schooling at the Government Girls’ Residential School, while residing at the Kalvakurthi Hostel. From class 6 onwards, she had studied at another Government Girls’ Residential School at Lingala. Thus, the fact that she had stayed away from her home at a very early age, in pursuit of proper education, marks her and her family as brave hearts who refused to succumb to the prevalent practises of denying education to the girl child in the rural society.

She continued her studies at the Government Girls’ Junior College in Achampet, where she studied till the intermediate. She reflected that during her school days, she was keenly interested in sciences as well as dance. Though she wished to pursue Science in the 11^th standard, she failed to do so as her school did not have proper laboratory facilities. Thus, she was forced to pursue History, Economics and Civics at the higher secondary level.

As her eleventh standard exams came to an end, she was shocked to know that her marriage has been fixed. When she confronted her parents and resisted their decision, she came to know that she will be allowed to continue her studies even after marriage. Thus, she agreed to get married only on grounds of being allowed to continue her education and realising her dreams. It can be inferred that she was resilient and unconventional as she held education in higher esteem rather than submitting to the shackles of domestic duties of women.

She continued to commute to her school daily from her in-laws house. She proudly mentioned that she had not missed her classes even for a day as her husband dropped her to school daily. Even so, she found it increasingly difficult to balance her studies as well as her housework. As all the other members of her family went out to work, she had to manage most of the domestic chores herself. When her baby was born, she devoted most of her time in taking care of her child, making it very cumbersome for her to carry out her studies smoothly. In spite of such difficulties, she managed to overcome them and perform well in her final examinations.

The very instance of a woman pursuing her studies after marriage and child birth is unusual in a rural setting. Here we see a perfectly well balanced example of the same. The lady asserted that she had received immense support from her family, and especially her husband who was beside her in every step of the way. She narrated how her mother-in-law took days off from work and stayed at home to take care of her child while she went to school. Though uneducated themselves, her in-laws perfectly understood the importance of educating the girl child and hence never restricted her from pursuing her studies. She conveyed that though she had taken a break for a short time after her intermediate due to certain health issues, she was planning to get enrolled in a college and soon get involved in preparing for the Teacher’s Training Course, as she aspired to become a teacher. Thus, it can be inferred that the unusual trajectory that the lady had embarked on was possible only because of the great deal of love, care, support and encouragement that she had received from her extended family. 

The most significant life event that had a great effect on her life was her marriage. She viewed it as both negative and positive as initially she was apprehensive of the stagnation of her studies that would result as an aftermath of marriage. But as time elapsed, one can infer that the lady’s marriage ultimately proved to be a positive life event for her, as it was with her husband’s support that she was able to continue her studies successfully. The lady also added that the birth of her baby son was also a positive significant life event for her, as it made her evolve into a new realm of maturity and motherhood.

As our interaction progressed, the lady humorously conveyed the fact that she owned a treasure trove of resources that has helped her in steering forward in life. She did not seem to attach much importance to her physical prowess, but she gladly declared that her greatest resource has been her wonderful husband and the loving family she has been married into. She also said that her own family and especially her own sister have also been extremely supportive in her ventures. She also asserted that her friends at school have also helped and encouraged her greatly. She also seemed to believe that the very fact that she has been empowered with education has been a perennial source of strength for her. One could infer that her progress in life also seemed to be fuelled by her traits of resilience, confidence, determination, a strong sense of belief in herself, and a thirst for knowledge which provided her the essential strength to strive on.

The lady’s eyes glittered with hope as she expressed her dream of becoming a teacher. She aspired to improve the standard of education in villages and bring about a change in the lives of children. She also dreamt of pursuing her childhood interest in dance and teaching the same to the children in school. She also hoped that she will be able to successfully perform her duty as a mother and bring up her child as a good human being.

Donning a generous smile, the lady also conveyed the fact that she was very happy in her current situation and that she does not have any problems. Although there are certain practical constraints that she has to encounter in day to day life, she does not get perturbed by them and instead strives to overcome them with the available resources. Once again, an attitude of this kind portrays the strength of the lady’s character and her ability to derive happiness in any circumstance whatsoever.

My interaction with the lady gave me a rare insight into the life of an extraordinary woman who is an epitome of resilience, strength and optimism that steers her forward and keeps her going even when she is faced with unfavourable circumstances. The inspiring words of the lady motivated me to a great extent and kindled in me a desire to strive towards realizing my dreams. I also realized that education arms us with a keenness to question the traditional tenets of society and hence it is of utmost significance in alleviating miseries and discrimination of women in rural India.

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