‘Womanism’ A History in Indian Context

The roots of feminism in India can be traced down to the colonial period. Academicians have referred to the voices against the infamous ‘Sati Pratha’ and finally its abolition as the first important land mark in Indian Feminist movement. Some of the educated women of pre Independent India were way ahead of their times, most of them belonged to educated families and they furthered the cause of Indian feminism. Anandibai Joshi was the first Indian woman to go abroad for education, similarly India's first suffragist movement was under the leadership of Kamini Roy. Pandita Ramabai started a shelter home to support widows, while Kadambini Ganguly is known as the first Indian woman practitioner of western medicine along with Cornelia Sorabjee, the first Indian woman advocate. Few of the critics undermine these achievements pointing out that most of them were from upper class. Our paper traces down the history of ‘Womanism in India’ and talks in detail about the various contributions made by leading women writers, leaders and activists. It concludes with the excessive militant feminism and how ‘Womanism’ has recently been failing in Indian Perspectives.