Women in the Sunga Age: Between Brahmanical Revival and Buddhist Influence
Author(s): Prabhat Kumar Bharti
Abstract: The sunga Age (c. 185–73 BCE) represents a crucial transitional era in Indian history, bridging the decline of the Mauryan Empire and the emergence of new socio-political and cultural patterns. It was a time when Brahmanical orthodoxy reasserted itself after the relatively inclusive Mauryan state, while Buddhism and other heterodox traditions continued to maintain strong social and cultural influence. Within this dynamic context, the position of women was shaped by multiple, and often contradictory, forces. On one hand, Brahmanical texts and legal traditions increasingly emphasized domestic roles, ritual subordination to male authority, and the primacy of patrilineal inheritance, reinforcing patriarchal values.1 On the other hand, Buddhist institutions offered women certain spaces for participation, whether as lay devotees, patrons of religious monuments, or even as members of the monastic order, though not without limitations. Archaeological evidence from the period, particularly the reliefs at Bharhut and Sanchi, provides valuable insight into the lived and symbolic presence of women. These sites depict women not only as donors and worshippers but also as central figures in narrative and decorative art, where fertility motifs, yakṣi figures, and auspicious female imagery played prominent roles in religious symbolism. Such representations suggest that women, despite social restrictions, retained a visible and active role in shaping religious and cultural life. This paper seeks to explore women’s roles in the sunga Age through the interconnected spheres of family, law, religion, and art. It highlights the tension between the Brahmanical revival, which sought to confine women within patriarchal frameworks, and the Buddhist ethos, which allowed comparatively greater spiritual and social mobility. By analyzing textual, legal, and archaeological sources, the study aims to illuminate how tradition and transition coexisted in defining the status of women during this formative period of Indian civilization2.
DOI: 10.22271/27069109.2025.v7.i11a.559Pages: 24-27 | Views: 44 | Downloads: 21Download Full Article: Click Here
How to cite this article:
Prabhat Kumar Bharti.
Women in the Sunga Age: Between Brahmanical Revival and Buddhist Influence. Int J Hist 2025;7(11):24-27. DOI:
10.22271/27069109.2025.v7.i11a.559
