Q:
Which one of the following sources tells us about women protesting against the infidelity of their husbands or the neglect of the wife and children by the male head of the household?
Answer & Explanation
Answer: B) Documents belonging to the Village Panchayats of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra
Explanation: Documents from Western India –Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra –record petitions sent bywomen to the village panchayat, seeking redress and justice. Wives protested against the infidelity of their husbands or the neglect of the wife and children by the male head of the household, the grihasthi. While male infidelity was not always punished, the state and “superior” caste groups did intervene when it came to ensuring that the family was adequately provided for. In most cases when women petitioned to the panchayat, their names were excluded from the record: the petitioner was referred to as themother, sister or wife of the male head of the household.
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