Harijan Women in Independent India

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

The present work is the result of an extensive analytical study made among the traditional lower caste women, viz. Harijan women in the southern part of the country. Through the present book, the author brings out the landmarks in the breakthrough of the status boundaries among Harijan women during the later years of post independent period in India. Several factors have contributed to the dynamics of status among these segregated sections of society. Along with these factors, this book tries to explain the process of motivation and actual involvement that have developed from among the members of group for such a revolutionary modification in the social life. The work has examined the problem of status mobility of Harijan women from various angles. Potential contributions of education, changing attitudes of women towards fertility, women employment, women education political interests and involvements of Harijan women, their organisational life etc. have been well discussed to bring out their role in changing the status of Harijan women. The impact of official and non-official policies including those of social legislations encouraging the status improvement of Harijans have also been brought out well in this work. The conclusions emerging out of this indepth study are quite relevant and interesting.

Dr. P. Nirmala Bhai has been a first rate academician in the field of Sociology. Throughout her educational career, she has maintained the superior standard and calibre in her field. Since the taking of her M.A. Degree in Sociology with First class and First Rank in the University of Kerala in 1977, Dr. Nirmala Bhai has been engaged in active research in the field of women studies. She was awarded Ph. D. by the University of Kerala. Dr. Nirmala Bhai has done extensive research on the different aspects of sociology and particularly in the field of her specialisation, namely women studies. She has contributed much to this discipline through lectures, radio-talks and publications. She has several articles and papers to her credit.

For centuries, Harijans were segregated from the mainstream of Indian society. They were isolated from all fields of social life due to the influence of our age-old tradition. Under these circumstances, Harijan men and women led a life of their own. The assessment of status of men and women in such a society becomes a relative concept. Unlike other states in India, the 'Temple Entry Proclamation' and subsequent similar incidences in Kerala had already marked the initial stages of mobility with respect to social behaviour of the Harijans. A series of planned and unplanned developmental issues on these communities mainly emerged partly from official sources and partly from non-official sources. On this basis, the present study on 'Status of Harijan Women' has been undertaken.

I should like to take this opportunity to acknowledge my great debts to all those who have been my teachers since my schooldays.

I am deeply indebted to Dr. G. Narayana Pillai, Professor in Sociology, University of Kerala, for his invaluable advice. Dr. Pillai's instructive criticism and penetrating suggestions had been of great help to me in completing this work.

I am also thankful to Shri P.S. Janardhanan Nair, Head of the Department of Statistics, University of Kerala, Kariavattam, Trivandrum, for the timely help rendered by him while I under- took the required statistical analysis and tests for the study.

I am thankful to Mr. P. Sivanandan, Director of Harijan Welfare, Government of Kerala, for providing me with critical suggestions and valuable information on current policies and programmes of Harijan welfare in the State. I wish to express my thanks to the officials of the Directorate of Harijan Welfare, who had been kind enough to help me for the collection of data for the work.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages