THE CONTRIBUTION OF BEGUM ROKEYA ON WOMEN'S EDUCATION

Abstract

The 19th century was the period of Renaissance not only in Bengal but also in India. The movement of Renaissance was specially originated in Bengal with Raja Rammohan Roy and was continued by realists such as Vidyasagar, Keshab Chandra Sen and many others. Reformation sentiments affected not only Hindu Bengali society, but also Muslim Bengali society. The reformation movement within the Muslim community began in the late 19th century and persisted into the early 20th century. Begum Rokeya was the matriarch of the Muslim arising in Bengal prior to its partition. She belonged to a group of women known as Bengali 'bhadramahila' - a term akin to "New Women" coined by Virginia Woolf. She devoted her life to the liberation of Muslim women who were required to observe strict religious practices such as purdah and others. She realized that Muslim women should take advantage of educational opportunities of modern era. In the history of girls' education in India, she was a prominent figure who was fearless and indifferent to the harsh criticisms of the Muslim community's religious leaders (Maulabi). In this paper, an attempt is made to examine critically the educational ideas of Begum Rokeya and her contribution to the advancement of women's education in Bengal under the rule of the British.