Purdah

Ladies of Caubul (1848 lithograph) showing the lifting of purdah in zenana areas. Purdah or Pardaa ( , literally meaning "curtain") is the practice of preventing women from being seen by men. According to the exact definition: Purdah is a curtain which makes sharp separation between the world of man and that of a woman, between the community as a whole and the family which is its heart, between the street and the home, the public and the private, just as it sharply separates society and the individual. This takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes , and the requirement for women to cover their bodies and conceal their form. Purdah exists in various forms in the Islamic world and among Hindu women in parts of India , . In the Muslim world, preventing women from being seen by men is closely linked to the concept of Namus . Namus is an ethical category, a virtue , in Middle Eastern Muslim patriarchal character. It is a strongly gender -specific category of relations within a family described in terms of honor , attention , respect /respectability, and modesty . The term is often translated as "honor". Page 18 World faiths, Teach yourself - Islam. Erklärungen zu einem deutsch-türkischen Sexualkonflikt." ("The Force of the Honour"), Suhrkamp: Frankfurt am Main, 1983.

Ladies of Caubul (1848 lithograph, by James Rattray) showing the lifting of purdah in zenana areas – Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library Purdah or pardah (from Persian : پرده, meaning "curtain") is a religious and social practice of female seclusion prevalent among some Muslim communities in Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as upper-caste Hindus in Northern India , such as the Rajputs . It takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes and the requirement that women cover their bodies so as to cover their skin and conceal their form. Physical segregation within buildings is achieved with judicious use of walls, curtains, and screens. A woman's withdrawal into purdah usually restricts her personal, social and economic activities outside her home. The usual purdah garment worn is a burqa , which may or may not include a yashmak , a veil to conceal the face. The eyes may or may not be exposed. Purdah was rigorously observed under the Taliban in Afghanistan, where women had to observe complete purdah at all times when they were in public. Only close male family members and other women were allowed to see them out of purdah. In other societies, purdah is often only practised during certain times of religious significance. Married Hindu women in parts of Northern India observe ghoonghat in the presence of older male relations on their husbands' side. This custom is not followed by Hindu women elsewhere in India.

Seclusion of women in some Muslim and Hindu communities Ladies of Caubul (1848 lithograph, by James Rattray ) showing the lifting of purdah in zenana areas – Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library Pardah or purdah (from , meaning "curtain") is a religious and social practice of female seclusion prevalent among some Muslim and Hindu communities. It takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes and the requirement that women cover their bodies so as to cover their skin and conceal their form. A woman who practices purdah can be referred to as pardanashin or purdahnishan . The term purdah is sometimes applied to similar practices in other parts of the world. Practices that restricted women's mobility and behavior existed in India since ancient times and intensified with the arrival of Islam. By the 19th century purdah became customary among Hindu elites. Purdah was not traditionally observed by lower-class women. Physical segregation within buildings is achieved with judicious use of walls, curtains, and screens. A woman's withdrawal into purdah usually restricts her personal, social and economic activities outside her home. The usual purdah garment worn is a burqa , which may or may not include a yashmak , a veil to conceal the face. The eyes may or may not be exposed. Purdah was rigorously observed under the Taliban in Afghanistan , where women had to observe complete purdah at all times when they were in public. Only close male family members and other women were allowed to see them out of purdah. In other societies, purdah is often only practised during certain times of religious significance. Married Hindu women in parts of Northern India observe purdah, with some women wearing a ghoonghat in the presence of older male relations on their husbands' side; some Muslim women observe purdah through the wearing of a burqa. A dupatta is a veil used by both Muslim and Hindu women, often when entering a religious house of worship. This custom is not followed by Hindu women elsewhere in India. Purdah regulates the interactions of women with certain kinds of men. Typically, Hindu women must avoid specific male affines (in-laws) and Muslim women are restricted from contact with men outside the family, or at least their contact with these men is highly circumscribed (Papanek 1982:3). In practice, many elements of both "Hindu" and "Muslim" purdah are shared by women of both groups in South Asia (Vatuk 1982; Jeffery 1979), and Hindu and Muslim women both adopt similar strategies of self-effacement, like covering the face, keeping silent, and looking down, when in the company of persons to be avoided. Women In Hindu Social System (1206–1707 A.D.) . Hindu ladies covered their head with a kind of veil known as Ghoonghat.

Seclusion of women in some Muslim and Hindu communities This article is about the practice of female seclusion. Ladies of Caubul (1848 lithograph, by James Rattray ) showing the lifting of purdah in zenana areas – Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library. Pardah or purdah (from Hindi-Urdu پردہ , पर्दा , meaning "curtain") is a religious and social practice of female seclusion prevalent among some Muslim and Hindu communities. It takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes and the requirement that women cover their bodies so as to cover their skin and conceal their form. A woman who practices purdah can be referred to as pardanashin or purdahnishan . The term purdah is sometimes applied to similar practices in other parts of the world. Practices that restricted women's mobility and behavior existed among all religious groups since ancient times and intensified with the arrival of Islam. By the 19th century, purdah became customary among Hindu elites. Purdah was not traditionally observed by lower-class women. Physical segregation within buildings is achieved with judicious use of walls, curtains, and screens. A woman's withdrawal into purdah usually restricts her personal, social and economic activities outside her home. The usual purdah garment worn is a burqa , which may or may not include a yashmak , a veil to conceal the face. The eyes may or may not be exposed. Married Hindu women in parts of Northern India observe purdah, with some women wearing a ghoonghat in the presence of older male relations on their husbands' side; Muslim women observe purdah through the wearing of a burqa. Purdah has been rigorously observed under the Taliban in Afghanistan , where women are forced to observe complete purdah at all times while in public. Only close male family members and other women are allowed to see them out of purdah. In other societies, purdah is often only practised during certain times of religious significance. Purdah regulates the interactions of women with certain kinds of men. Typically, Hindu women must avoid specific male affines (in-laws) and Muslim women are restricted from contact with men outside the family, or at least their contact with these men is highly circumscribed (Papanek 1982:3). In practice, many elements of both "Hindu" and "Muslim" purdah are shared by women of both groups in South Asia (Vatuk 1982; Jeffery 1979), and Hindu and Muslim women both adopt similar strategies of self-effacement, like covering the face, keeping silent, and looking down, when in the company of persons to be avoided. Encyclopædia Britannica . 9 May 2008. purdah, also spelled Pardah, Hindi Parda ("screen," or "veil"), practice that was inaugurated by Muslims and later adopted by various Hindus, especially in India, and that involves the seclusion of women from public observation by means of concealing clothing (including the veil) and by the use of high-walled enclosures, screens, and curtains within the home. The literal meaning of "purdah" is, as already noted, "a curtain." In rural Rajasthan for a woman to observe purdah (in Hindi, pardā rakhnā , "to keep purdah"; pardā karnā , "to do purdah") usually includes these behavioral components, adhered to with highly varying degrees of strictness: in her marital village she doesn't leave the house, and she veils her face in front of all strangers and certain categories of male kin. Negotiating Gender Relations in North India . Purdah in Urdu literally means "curtain". Today, in Hindi it is used for both: in the literal sense for curtain and to refer to a system of seclusion and concealment of the body in the name of "respect" towards (male) elder (fictive and blood-related) family members and is construed as fundamental to maintaining family "honour". Women In Hindu Social System (1206–1707 A.D.) . Hindu ladies covered their head with a kind of veil known as Ghoonghat.

Seclusion of women in some Muslim and Hindu communities This article is about the practice of female seclusion. Ladies of Caubul (1848 lithograph, by James Rattray ) showing the lifting of purdah in zenana areas – Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library. Pardah or purdah (from Hindi-Urdu پردہ , पर्दा , meaning "curtain") is a religious and social practice of sex segregation prevalent among some Muslim , Zoroastrian and Hindu communities. The purdah garment is the same as a burqa , or yashmak , i.e a veil to conceals the face. The practice generally takes two forms: social segregation of the sexes and the requirement that women cover their bodies, as well as traditionally the faces. A woman who practices purdah can be referred to as pardanashin or purdahnishan . Practices that restricted women's mobility and behavior existed among religious groups in India and Zoroastrian Iran since ancient times and intensified with the arrival of Islam. By the 19th century, purdah became customary among Hindu elites. Purdah was not strictly observed by lower-class women. Physical segregation within buildings is achieved with judicious use of walls, curtains, and screens. A woman's withdrawal into purdah usually restricts her personal, social and economic activities outside her home. Married Hindu women in parts of Northern India observe purdah, with some women wearing a ghoonghat in the presence of older male relations on their husbands' side; Muslim women observe purdah through the wearing of a burqa. Purdah has been rigorously observed under the Taliban in Afghanistan , where women are required to observe complete purdah at all times while in public. Only close male family members and other women are allowed to see them out of purdah. In other societies, purdah is often only practised during certain times of religious significance. Purdah regulates the interactions of women with certain kinds of men. Typically, Hindu women must avoid specific male affines (in-laws) and Muslim women are demotivated to contact with men outside the family, or at least their contact with these men is highly circumscribed (Papanek 1982:3). In practice, many elements of both "Hindu" and "Muslim" purdah are shared by women of both groups in South Asia (Vatuk 1982; Jeffery 1979), and Hindu and Muslim women both adopt similar strategies of self-effacement, like covering the face, keeping silent, and looking down, when in the company of persons to be avoided. Encyclopædia Britannica . 9 May 2008. purdah, also spelled Pardah, Hindi Parda ("screen," or "veil"), practice that was inaugurated by Muslims and later adopted by various Hindus, especially in India, and that involves the seclusion of women from public observation by means of concealing clothing (including the veil) and by the use of high-walled enclosures, screens, and curtains within the home. The literal meaning of "purdah" is, as already noted, "a curtain." In rural Rajasthan for a woman to observe purdah (in Hindi, pardā rakhnā , "to keep purdah"; pardā karnā , "to do purdah") usually includes these behavioral components, adhered to with highly varying degrees of strictness: in her marital village she doesn't leave the house, and she veils her face in front of all strangers and certain categories of male kin. Negotiating Gender Relations in North India . Purdah in Urdu literally means "curtain". Today, in Hindi it is used for both: in the literal sense for curtain and to refer to a system of seclusion and concealment of the body in the name of "respect" towards (male) elder (fictive and blood-related) family members and is construed as fundamental to maintaining family "honour". Women In Hindu Social System (1206–1707 A.D.) . Hindu ladies covered their head with a kind of veil known as Ghoonghat.