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In the pre- Vedic and Vedic ages, women and girls had equal right to education and choosing their own profession. Women worked alongside men and contributed to the household. Hence, a steady and peaceful balance was observed in that society. Post- Vedic society, however, started getting highly rigid and differentiated based on Varna, Jati and gender. A vertical hierarchy was observed where women did not hold a high status- in fact, they were symbols of misfortune and past misdeeds in the patriarchal society. Women were first the property of their fathers, and after marriage, of their husband. This classification and division of society led women and men both to place immense significance on housework, worship, and submissiveness.
Skip to the modern world, the deeply ingrained thought that the worth of women is solely in their service to men, has been rigid and very difficult to change. Throughout the generations, all women and girls are told the same thing- to train themselves to be good wives and mothers and daughter- in- laws. There is a certain amount of safety in having our lives mapped out for us- and women tend to take this road because if they deviate, society will not accept them. This view has been changing since the past few decades where women are taking long and brave strides to improve themselves and their situations through education. Only through education and true empowerment can women be made to realize that they are independent beings and masters of themselves.
Everybody who has grown up in a certain system grows up to justify it, it is just human nature. It takes time, courage, and efforts to recognize and accept the flaws and take conscious steps towards improving it. I this case, the tradition of patriarchy has been age- old and would need systematic efforts to uproot it’s evils.