Name: Nazakat Hussain
Country: India

Year: 2026
Volume: Vol-11, No.2, July-Dec-2026
Page Number: 1-5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21214458

ABSTRACT
This research paper critically investigates the participation of women in the Vedic political and social assemblies known as the Sabha and Samiti during the early and later Vedic periods (approximately 1500–500 BCE). By rigorously analyzing primary sources from the Rigveda, Atharvaveda, and Brahmanas alongside a comprehensive historiographical survey, the study separates popular and nationalist myths of a gender-egalitarian “golden age” from the more nuanced historical evidence. The analysis reveals that while elite women enjoyed notable privileges in education, hymn composition, and certain ritual contexts, direct and unambiguous evidence for their regular, deliberative participation in the Sabha and Samiti is sparse and contextually limited. Stronger textual support exists for women’s involvement in the Vidatha assembly, particularly in religious, distributive, and communal functions. R.S. Sharma’s pioneering work highlights early tribal inclusivity that later gave way to patriarchal restrictions as society transitioned toward class-based monarchies. Feminist and gender-sensitive scholarship further underscores the elite bias of the sources and the decline in women’s public agency over time. The paper argues that the Sabha functioned primarily as an elite or judicial body with only exceptional references to “sabhavati” (women worthy of or present in the assembly), while the Samiti, as a broader folk assembly, offers even less explicit evidence of female participation. These findings contribute to a more accurate understanding of gender dynamics in early Indian polity, challenging both romanticized narratives and overly dismissive interpretations. The study emphasizes the importance of source criticism in ancient Indian historiography and suggests avenues for future research using comparative Indo-Iranian materials and refined textual analysis.

Keywords: Vedic period, Sabha, Samiti, Vidatha, assemblies, patriarchal structures, rishikas.