FEMALE FIGURES IN HINDUISM AND HINDU FEMINISM IN INDIA SOPHIE SHEMAS

FEMINISM AND RELIGION? Generally thought that the two don’t mix well Most practiced religions often based off patriarchal structure What about Hindu feminists? Face a heightened challenge within India How can the presence of goddesses within the religion influence the feminist cause? Hindu definition Feminist definition Not easily defined in India Body, mind, and soul acknowledged

VIEW ON (HUMAN) WOMEN IN HINDU TEXTS Primary issue: the Manusmriti Outlines “code of conduct” for anyone following Hinduism, especially specific for women “A virtuous wife should constantly serve her husband like a god, even if he behaves badly, freely indulges his lust, and is devoid of any good qualities […] It is because a wife obeys her husband that she is exalted in heaven” Other texts reinforce gender bias and subjugation of women Women created from the feet Women are not worthy of trust Counterarguments?

ISSUES FOR WOMEN IN INDIA Oppression strongest in rural areas (more traditional) Sexual harrassment and violence/rape, femicide and female feticide, honor killings (sati), dowry-related murder, child marriage, etc. Hinduism often used as an explanation for child marriage Up to 136,000 women and girls killed by fire each year (2012 statistic) 1,800,000 girls under age six died from domestic violence issues in the past two decades 93 women raped per day (2014 statistic) Paros in areas with low ratio of women to men General lack of education and care for women

THE ARGUMENT FOR HINDU FEMINISM Only major religion where female deities are worshipped There is even a divine feminine creative energy (Devi/Shakti) Everything is created from this absolute feminine No male gods can exist without some feminine energy Shaktism: goddess worship Shakta cults Conflict with god-worshipping cults in the past Emphasis on goddesses that embody feminist beliefs

FEMINIST GODDESSES? Kali and Durga most commonly cited Kali (the Dark One or the Dark Mother) Associated with destruction Monstrous in imagery Dances on corpses Durga (the Invincible or the Inaccessible) Known as a fighter of demons Pictured with her Bengal tiger or lion

KALI Credit: /02/godess-kali-1.gif Credit: /kali.jpe?w=510

DURGA Credit:

CRITICISMS OF KALI AND DURGA Too one-dimensional and masculine Primarily based off Western feminist ideals But they are only pieces of the whole (Devi) Also, there are other goddesses who represent characteristics that they seem to be missing Lakshmi (goddess of light and prosperity) Sarasvati (goddess of wisdom/knowledge) All retain characteristics often reserved for males

NON-GODDESS WOMEN IN HINDU MYTH Not represented as such strong characters and not respected within their stories much of the time Prime examples within two Hindu epics The Ramayana Sita The Mahabharata Draupadi Despite their oppression within the epics, their actions and character traits can be seen in a feminist light Sita’s renunciation and Draupadi’s question

THE GENDER GAP IN INDIA Epics can be seen as a representation of the gender gap for women in India Disconnect between how goddesses are treated and how human women are treated Emphasis on purity and obedience Impact of hierarchal society Caste

CHALLENGES FOR HINDU FEMINISM Essential to address the issue of the oppression of Indian women, especially Hindu women Development of India, globalization Hesitance to speak out among Hindu feminists Could a revitalization of Shaktism and an emphasis on the strength and perseverance of human female characters help the Hindu feminist movement? Hinduism as a uniting force for Indian women