page_title: Purdah
section_title: Respect
hierarchical_section_title: Purdah / Rationale / Respect
caption_attribution_description: English: Silver Zenana carriage [Vadodara] 1895, Photograph of a silver zenana carriage at Baroda, Gujarat from the Curzon Collection, taken by an unknown photographer during the 1890s. The enclosed carriage ensured the seclusion of female members of the royal household when travelling. The confinement of Indian women within the family home or behind a veil was known as purdah, and zenana was the name given to segregated women’s quarters. The lavishly decorated two-wheeled carriage is drawn by caparisoned bullocks and belonged to Gaekwar Sayaji Rao III (ruled 1875-1939), 12th Maharaja of Baroda. He owned a collection of exotic transport, which also included golden carriages and a miniature carriage drawn by deer. Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library.
context_page_description: Pardah or purdah 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.
context_section_description: Proponents of the practice view purdah as a symbol of honor, respect, and dignity. It is seen as a practice that allows women to be judged by their inner beauty rather than physical beauty.
caption: Photograph of a Rajput royal silver zenana carriage in the princely state of Baroda, India.  1895, Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library
exif: {"Image XResolution": "100", "Image YResolution": "100", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image ReferenceBlackWhite": "[0, 255, 128, 255, 128, 255]", "Image ExifOffset": "162", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "627", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "466"}