A Day in the Life of A Rural Indian Woman

Forced to find solace in oppression

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While most of India has undergone rapid urbanization and modernization, for most rural Indian women many traditions and realities remain much the same as they were 50 years ago.

Those were my initial thoughts and feelings when I met Shanti last summer in my home state of Bihar. Shanti was our tenant about three years ago when she moved to Patna, the capital of Bihar, from her village for better education. The next time I met Shanti, which was three years later, she was five months into her marriage.

Being two years younger than me meant she would have been 17 when she was married off. Despite the legal marriage age being raised to 21 from 18 for women, Shanti’s marriage was no exception as early marriage is still rampant in rural India.

Nevertheless, Shanti looked happy and shy just like you would imagine a newly wedded bride.

A typical day in Shanti’s life

So, curious about her new life, I asked Shanti, “What does a typical day look like for you now?” She shared her daily routine with me: “I wake up around 6 or 6:30. After a cold bath and puja, I prepare breakfast for the family and do household chores like cleaning, sweeping, laundry, etc. By midday, Shilpi didi (her…