1.3. Brahmanical Patriarchy in India
Patriarchy is asocial systemin which males hold primary power and predominate in roles of
political leadership. moral authority. social privilege and control of property. Some
patriarchal societies are also patrilineal. nmcaning that property and title are inherited by the
male lineage.
Patriarchy is associated with a set of ideas, a patriarchai jdeology that acts to explain and
justify this dominance and attributes it to inherent natural differences between men and
women. The sociologist Sylvia Walbydefines patriarchy as "a system of social suctures
and practices in which men dominate, oppress, and exploit women ". Based on the nature of
patriarchy, there are three types of patriarchy existed in India. They are:
Brahmanical patriarchy
Tribal patriarchy
º Dalit patriarchy
Uma Chakravarti conducted research about Brahmanical patriarchy. Brahmanical
patriarchy is prevalent anong the higher castes. It has the support of laws from various
hindu books, puranas, samhitas etc. Caste hierarchy and gender hierarchy are the
interconnected
organising principles of the Brahmanical social order and are closely
Caste hierarchy
surviving social stratification. The
India's caste system is among the world's oldest forms of
karma (work) and
System which divides Hindus into rigid hierarchical groups based on their
to be more
dharma (the Hindi word for religion, but here it means duty) is generally accepted
than 3.000years old.
authoritative book on Hindu law
Manusmriti, widely regarded to be the most important and
"acknowledges and justifies
and dating back to at least 1,000 years before Christ was born,
and regularity of society"
the caste system as the basis of order
Kshatriyas, Vaishyne
The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories - Bruhnins,
Brahma, the Hindu God oe
and theShudras. Many believe that the groups originated trom
who were mainly teacho
creation. At the top of the hierarchy were the Brahmins
Then came the Kol:
intellectuals and are believed to have come from Brahma's head.
warriors and rulers, Supposedly from his
arms. The third slot went to the
or the Vaishyas, or
7
Patriarchy is asocial systemin which males hold primary power and predominate in roles of
political leadership. moral authority. social privilege and control of property. Some
patriarchal societies are also patrilineal. nmcaning that property and title are inherited by the
male lineage.
Patriarchy is associated with a set of ideas, a patriarchai jdeology that acts to explain and
justify this dominance and attributes it to inherent natural differences between men and
women. The sociologist Sylvia Walbydefines patriarchy as "a system of social suctures
and practices in which men dominate, oppress, and exploit women ". Based on the nature of
patriarchy, there are three types of patriarchy existed in India. They are:
Brahmanical patriarchy
Tribal patriarchy
º Dalit patriarchy
Uma Chakravarti conducted research about Brahmanical patriarchy. Brahmanical
patriarchy is prevalent anong the higher castes. It has the support of laws from various
hindu books, puranas, samhitas etc. Caste hierarchy and gender hierarchy are the
interconnected
organising principles of the Brahmanical social order and are closely
Caste hierarchy
surviving social stratification. The
India's caste system is among the world's oldest forms of
karma (work) and
System which divides Hindus into rigid hierarchical groups based on their
to be more
dharma (the Hindi word for religion, but here it means duty) is generally accepted
than 3.000years old.
authoritative book on Hindu law
Manusmriti, widely regarded to be the most important and
"acknowledges and justifies
and dating back to at least 1,000 years before Christ was born,
and regularity of society"
the caste system as the basis of order
Kshatriyas, Vaishyne
The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories - Bruhnins,
Brahma, the Hindu God oe
and theShudras. Many believe that the groups originated trom
who were mainly teacho
creation. At the top of the hierarchy were the Brahmins
Then came the Kol:
intellectuals and are believed to have come from Brahma's head.
warriors and rulers, Supposedly from his
arms. The third slot went to the
or the Vaishyas, or
7
