HER-STORIES—INDIAN WOMEN DOWN THE AGES: THINKERS, WORKERS, REBELS, QUEENS

by Dr Deepti Priya Mehrotra

  1. ISBN: 978-93-5520-203-1
  2. Pages: 296 pages
  3. Date: 5th March 2022

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Some were celebrated,
Others vilified
While some were casually neglected
Yet, the story of these women lived on…
Her-Stories is a discussion of women from Indian history whose contributions have been all but forgotten. These were poets, performers, warriors, saints, philosophers, activists and more, yet we hardly remember their courage and contributions. The time has come to bring their history to the fore.
Their stories describe desperate situations, ingenious strategies and brilliant sparks of feminist consciousness. Rather than accounts of isolated ‘great women’, these stories place at the centre the ordinary woman, in all her splendid diversity, multifaceted struggle and achievement. The women profiled were encouraged and supported by others—their achievements represent the aspirations of many in the past, and provide inspiration for us in the present.
Cutting across several regions of India and presented in chronological order from second millennium BCE, to the mid-nineteenth century India, these are the stories of women who have been thinkers, doers, movers and shakers who have subverted hierarchies, brought peace out of chaos and survived despite routine devaluation.
Philosopher Sulabha, philanthropist Vishakha, fearless Uppalavanna, wandering bard Auvaiyar, justice maker Leima Laisna, astronomer Khona, mountain queen Didda, radical poet Akkamahadevi, intrepid Sultan Razia, martial artiste Unniyarcha, poet-saint Janabai, Gond Rani Durgavati, historian Gulbadan, cultural ambassador Harkha, pepper queen Abbakka, fakira Jahanara, brave Onake Obavva, Dalit rebel Nangeli, dancer-diplomat Mahlaqa Bai Chanda, lion queen Jindan, Nawab Begum Qudsia, sharpshooter Uda, guerrillera Hazrat Begum and feminist writer Tarabai Shinde.

AUTHOR OF THE BOOK

Dr Deepti Priya Mehrotra is a political scientist, with cross-disciplinary interests. Her ground-breaking books include Home Truths: Stories of Single Mothers, Burning Bright: Irom Sharmila and the Struggle for Peace in Manipur, A Passion for Freedom: The Story of Kisanin Jaggi Devi, Gulab Bai: The Queen of Nautanki Theatre and Bharatiya Mahila Andolan: Kal, Aaj aur Kal. She advises civil society organizations on gender and education issues, taught social science at Delhi University, Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI), Agra and Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, and designed curriculum for the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). She is recipient of fellowships by Indian Council for Philosophical Research, MacArthur Foundation and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library.