Table of Contents

Abbreviations. Notes on Transliteration. Notes on Primary Texts. Foreword. Preface. Acknowledgements. Introduction. Chapter I: The Shaping of the Purāṇic Narrative and Gender Chapter II: Women’s Identity and Purāṇic Patriarchy Chapter III: Women Outside the Family Circle: Not Bound, Not Free Chapter IV: Vratas, Rituals, and the Purāṇic Social Hierarchy. Some Parting Thoughts. Appendix: A Brief Note on the Purāṇic Scholarship. Glossary. Bibliography. Index

About the Author

Monika Saxena is an associate professor of history at the University of Delhi, India. She has been associated with undergraduate and postgraduate teaching at the university. Her research focuses on the roles and representations of women in early India. Some of her important works are "Gaṇikās in Early India: A Socio-Economic Perspective" and "Temple Girls in Early Medieval North India: A Study in Gender Relations." She has contributed in journals and has participated in conferences and workshops.