Oriya literature and women: a historical analysis of Sarala mahabharata

Medieval Oriya literature portrays women's character elaborately and depicts them as a luxury and sexual item in the society. Husband was considered as god for wife. Various rituals and customs were erected to worship husband as god by patriarchal society. Women were treated as an inferior group in the medieval Orissa. There were various restrictions on their movements and freedoms. Widowhood, sati, prostitution, child marriage Purdah, devadasi system, and polygamy were the major traditions which made their condition more deplorable. Although Sarala Mahabharata of Sarala Das [C15th AD] gives an ideal position to women characters but the evil customs and traditions which were prevalent in the Oriya society had been suppressed women folk. Patriarchal nature of the society also neglected their contributions towards society. Saral Mahabharata throws light on these evil customs. Main aim of this research paper is to analyze Oriya women's position in the contemporary society. Sarala Mahabharata is a best work of the period to study and analyze women's position and status in the medieval Orissan society.