Volume II Issue II April-June 2022

Name of Author : Rucha A. Brahmbhatt

Title of the paper : Transformative Impact of Swaminarayan Sampradaya on Women’s Lives during the 19th Century Gujarat

Abstract: Documenting the untold narratives and stories of the marginalized or the neglected is a challenging and prime task for post-colonial theorists, especially historians. Herstories are one of such areas where the main stream history remains silent. Women, barely educated during the 19th Century Gujarat-India, could hardly inscribe their stories on pages. Religious scriptures and writings did not include almost half the population of the society. One of the sects that had major impact on lives of the marginalized was the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. Lord Swaminarayan, with his all-inclusive vision and with all the limitations of societal norms, could make difference in the lives of women during the 19th century in Gujarat. Since women were not included in any of the rituals or religious practices, how Lord Swaminarayan had a transformative impact on the lives of these women is the central focus of this paper. The arguments are based on the oral stories told by women documented lately into Gujarati by miscellaneous writers.

Keywords : women, Lord Swaminarayan, narratives, gender, traditions

DOI :

Page No. : 73-77