Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Women in India today are faced with a major conflict: how to adjust to rapid modernization and industrialization without abandoning traditional roles and customs. One of the assets of Hinduism has been its ability to incorporate seemingly unorthodox ideas, not fight against them. Contemporary Indian women today are trying to reconcile innovation with tradition as they assert that women are significant participants in the economy, that crimes against women should be investigated and prosecuted, and that a woman can divorce her husband. This is no easy task in light of the highly structured nature of Indian society. It is both hierarchical and patriarchal. Regardless of a family's economic position, women in the family are considered inferior. It is the woman's job, first and foremost, to be loyal to her husband and to be a good mother to her children.
Dharma's Daughters is divided into three sections. The first introduces us to women who live and work in Bombay, where the population is dense and the housing is inadequate. We meet manual laborers, members of construction crews, and illiterate domestic workers who live in shanties. Mitter paints a vivid picture of the harried lives of these women. In the second section Mitter describes Hindu mythology and the traditions that form the basis for women's lives. In the final section, Mitter tells of the increasing mobilization and resistance of Indian women since the 1970s.
Synopsis
"Mitter sees not only the grim aspects of the social construction of gender, but also the strength, courage, and spirit of Indian women. . . . Will command a wide readership among those interested in contemporary social and political issues."--Veena Talwar Oldenburg, Bernard Baruch College, CUNY "A product of years of observation by a non-Indian woman of the lot of women in urban India. It portrays the complex life of Indian women who are circumscribed by a sense of duty and self-sacrifice."--Little India "A fascinating book, rich in contemporary material, Hindu myth and culture, and analysis of the pressures on the women's movement toward 'accommodation or resistance.'"--The Radcliffe Quarterly "A formidable achievement. . . . Mitter spans almost the entire spectrum of the 'woman's question' providing both information and insight into the complex patterns that determine the image, self-image, and status of women in contemporary India."--Manini Chatterjee, The Hindu (India) Combining vivid description with thoughtful analysis, Sara Mitter reveals the condititions that shape women's lives in a traditional, patriarchal society. Mitter introduces us to diverse women who live and work in Bombay, from construction crew laborers and illiterate domestic workers who live in shanties, to well-educated, middle-class women. She also confronts the question of gender in Indian society, as she examines the influence of the Goddess mythology and the persistence of such normative models as Sita of the Ramayana in contemporary daily life. In a final section, Mitter tells of the increasing moblilization and resistance of Indian women since the 1970s. She looks at the nature of the conflicts and choices facing Indian women today, and the potential consequences for the India of tomorrow. Sara S. Mitter is an American writer based in Paris. Married to an Indian physicist, she has made many visits to India and has lived there for periods of her life.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [187]-190) and index.