Western observers often view Indian women as oppressed, yet that is a superficial reading. The reality is more complex and fascinating: Indian women possess an ancient form of strength— Sahishnuta (endurance). They are not leaving their culture behind; they are dragging it into the 21st century, kicking and screaming if necessary, but moving forward nonetheless.
The lifestyle and culture of Indian women cannot be captured in a single snapshot. It is a film still rolling. She is the scientist at ISRO landing a rover on the moon and the grihalakshmi (household goddess) grinding spices in a Kerala kitchen. She is fighting the patriarchy in a boardroom in Gurgaon while accepting the sindoor (vermilion) during a wedding ceremony in Lucknow.
Introduction: The Land of the Saree and the Smartphone