Women and Property Rights in Medieval Indian Society

This study examines women's property rights in medieval Indian society by analyzing their legalfoundations, regional variations, and socio-economic implications. Drawing on Dharma??stric texts,the Mit?kshara and D?yabh?ga legal traditions, epigraphical records, and modern historiography, itexplores the gap between prescriptive norms and lived practices. The research finds that whilewomen were not entirely excluded from property relations, their rights-particularly str?dhana-werelargely circumscribed by patriarchal controls and mediated through male guardianship. Significantregional variation is evident, with the Dayabhaga system in eastern India offering relatively moreflexible inheritance provisions than Mit?kshara-dominated regions, although male lineage prioritiesremained dominant across systems.