8.5. Freedom of movement and the system of Purdah

[Full title: Position of Women (in ancient India); (5): Freedom of movement and the system of Purdah]

The Paumacariyam reveals that the women did move freely outside their houses and contacted the male society. It is further interesting to note that there is no reference to the purdah system. First of all we find that the maidens moved freely in the outer circle. The Paumacariya mentions that when Harisena reached the city of Sindhunadanagara, many young and grown up girls started gazing at him without a single wink (animisacchio 8.109). Further it refers to many grown up Vidyadhari maidens freely sporting in the gardens. There they met Ravana and married him by the Gandharva system of marriage (8.31). Rucira, the daughter of a Vanik is referred to have gone to the bank of the Ganges in the afternoon along with many other ladies (41.51). The princess of Cakrapura used to go to the house of her teacher and receive co-education with the son of a Purohita (26.5). There both of them developed love and got married. These instances sufficiently throw light on the freedom of movement allowed to maidens and even the maiden princesses. Similarly the house-wives were also allowed to move outside the house. They contacted unacquainted males. There is no mention of putting on any veil by them. Sarasa, the daughter-in-law of a certain Brahmin went to the river-side and therefrom she was kidnapped by another Brahmin (30.61). When Sita was thirsty, Rama and Laksmana went along with her to the house of a Brahmin. There the housewife, in absence of her husband quenched the thirst of Sita in the presence of Rama and Laksmana (35. 6-8). When Rama was sojourning at Ramapuri, that Brahmini along with her husband went to them and they were welcomed there by Rama (35.64). The pleasure garden of Lanka was often visited by the women of the city (53.75). The Samsatakusuma-udyana of Lanka had different divisions of which some were meant exclusively for women and some for the males (46.69-70). Whenever the king or the princes entered the city in a procession, the ladies stood at the windows of their houses and observed the grandeur of the occasion (8.276;100.50). On these ocasions the 1. The Age of Imperial Unity; B. V. Bhavan (1953), p. 565.

SOCIAL CONDITIONS 369 curious women of Lanka and Ayodhya are referred to be asking one another to take aside their heads because the braids of their hair obstructed the view (8.279; 100.52). It indicates that housewives were bareheaded and thus there arises no question of putting veil on their faces. When Harisena entered Sindhunadanagara, he was observed by many ladies of the city (naranarisaesu tattha disanto 8.180). It indicates that men and women were moving out side their houses or that women had come outside their house to see him. The house-ladies are further mentioned to be appearing on the roads and streets, offering and honouring monks with the presents of various kinds and performing sports and dances (105.6-10). Besides the ladies, we have already mentioned the women working or serving in the houses of others, or following the pursuits of dancing and amusement, and providing entertainment to the public. The medical profession must have demanded their movement in the public. The women who fought the battle and administered the country must have enjoyed the liberty of moving ontside without putting on any veil. Now let us see how the female members of the royal families lived in their palaces; to what extent they moved outside; and whether they observed purdah or not. There are several references to the harem 'anteura' of the kings whether Aryan or non-Aryan (Dasaratha's 31.58; Laksmana's 110.21; Ravana's 70.60). The 'antahpura' was a special apartment meant for the residence of the royal wives. Its significance as revealed in the Paumacariya is merely of a residential apartment in a royal palace. There were no rigid restrictions as regards the entry of other male person in it. Further the movement of the royal wives were not restricted to the harem only. They moved out of doors and contacted other males also. The Paumacariya mentions that when the wives of Laksmana were mourning the death of their husband in their 'antahpura', Rama entered the harem unrestricted (110.21). Further it is said that at the order of Rama after his return from Lanka, his wives and the wives of his brothers surrounded Bharata and requested him to play sports with his wives (80.49-54). It indicates that the royal males and females were not prohibited from mixing freely. The same seems to be the case with outsiders. The Paumacariya's reference to one of Dasaratha's chief queen talking with the store-keeper indicates that they did not feel bashful or shy or were not restricted in contacting male-officers of the state (29.11). Similarly the wife of Vibhisana called as Mahadevi, personally went to Rama, bowed down to his feet and requested him to 24

370 A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYAM visit her house (77.19). There seems to be no rigid restrictions in permitting the royal women to go outside the house. The wives (antahpura) of Ravana are referred to have gone to the battlefield to mourn the death of their husband (74.6) and there .Rama is said to have consoled them (75.3). Even the wives of Dasaratha visited the temple in the city where Rama, Laksmana and Sita had stayed for the night before their departure to the forest. It is said that on that occasion many other people also had gathered there (31.121-122). They are further mentioned to have paid their homage to a monk staying in the garden where many citizens had gone for the same purpose (82.8). Rama, Laksmana and Sita meet various persons and kings during their journey. They are welcomed and received by them with respect and honour. But on no occasion there is any slightest clue to maintain that Sita put veil or felt shy in the prensence of unacquainted males. During her long stay in Lanka, she is never said to have observed purdah whenever Ravana approached her. When Vibhisana met her, she freely talked with him (46.56-47). Sita conversed freely with Hanumat. who was quite an unknown and unacquianted person to her (53.12-74). Mandodari had free discussion and then verbal duel with Hanumat. Further we find that on the Vamsagiri hill Rama played on a flute and Sita danced there to pay their respects to the monks who were sojourning there (39.22). Thus the Paumacariya reveals that no veil was put on by the ladies. And for that the observations made by Laksmana on the occasion of Rama's decision to abandon Sita, are noteworthy because they support our conclusion. He tells that women should not be charged with (dosa-dosa) infidelity on account of their being seen by other persons (94.22)¹. Thus on the whole woman were not rigidly restricted from moving out of doors and there was no custom of putting on veils as far as the Paumacariya reveals. This freedom of women can be corroborated by other evidences. Shri Gokuldas De summing up the conditions found in the Jatakas says that women lived under seclusion and they were guarded hence they were called Orodha (lit. living in guarded house). But on occasions they were free to move about like men and excursions to public places were also not forbidden 2. The Buddhacarita refers to "antahpura" (8. 19) as well as to women engaged in various works on the royal roads 1. Parapurisadarisanenam na ya doso havai naha juvainam. 2: S 17, p. 117.

SOCIAL CONDITIONS 371 (10. 7). Kalidasa refers to women taking bath in a river publicly¹ and women going to their fields and singing in chorus². But the other contemporary literature refers to the putting on of veil and confinement to harem too. The Jaina Kalpasutra refers to the curtain put between Trisala and the interpreter of dreams (4. 69. or 68³). Panini refers to royal ladies as 'asuryampasya' (3. 2. 39) i.e. throwing veil on their faces. The Valmiki Ramayana (2. 33. 8) refers to Sita's seclusion who was not seen by the people because of her confinemnet to harem. The Pratimanataka refers to the putting on of veil by Sita (I. v. 28f). It also permits unveiling of face on emergency (I. V. 29). The Raghuvamsa refers to 'avarodha' (1. 32; 4. 68) and 'antahpura' (16.59) i. e. restricted harems and the Sakuntalam refers to the putting on of veil (5. 13). These both sided references point out that women were not completely secluded but limited restrictions were imposed on them. Shri B. S. Upadhyaya in this connecion observes that the society at the time of Kalidasa led a free and outdoor life but purdah was not entirely discarded", while it was also true that women were not shut up in Zenana as now.. Whatever may be the evidences of other literature but as far as the Paumacariya is concerned there is no mention of putting on of any veil by the women either of ordinary or royal classes.