3 Review(s)

The book gives a graphic detail about the contribution of muslim women in the medieval, modern and in the contemporary periods. These women mentioned in the manuscript are legend makers of their time. Their achievement are deeply embedded in the print and the audio-visual media. The journey towards their goals is a touching story of their trials and successes which have been vividly discussed in their biographical works and other forms of literary expression, e.g. poems, prose and short stories. In fact, their work has become a source of inspiration and motivation not only to muslim women but to all women irrespective of their religion, caste and creed. These handful muslim women discussed in the book belonged to different periods and mainly came from the urban educated and social reformist families. The various activities undertaken by them have tried to de-mystify the stereotypical image of muslim women living in seclusion, segregation and in the zenana apartments. They strove hard to promote the status of women by setting personal examples, opening formal institutions of learning, establishing organisation that took up social and educational issues. They motivated women through their writings to come out of seclusion, question irrelevant customs and traditions and gradually opt for education. In fact, the path shown by them have been directly or indirectly responsible for encouraging the enrolment of girls, especially muslim girls, in the formal institutions of learning in the contemporary times. About the Author Dr. Gouri Srivastava is a Reader in Education in the Department of Women's Studies, National Council of Educational Research and Training, New Delhi since completing her M.A. and M. Phil. With high grade points at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Ph. D. at Delhi University. She has published widely in academic journals and is the author of Women Who Created History. She is also a recipient of scholarship from Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) and from Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) for completing her doctoral work. Currently she is working on the Role of Begums of Bhopal in promoting Education of Muslim Girl's in the 19th and 20th century.