Women In Nectar In A Sieve

Introduction

India is a male dominating country and women are regarded as inferior in mind and superior in heart. Indian women are mostly traditional believing in Indian culture, tradition, customs, creeds and trends. In ancient time, women had an honorable position in society. They were equal partners of men in all walk of life. Indian women intend to be like Sita, Savitri, Gargi and Anusuya because they are pillar of Indian womanhood. During the Mushlim rule, they lost their position, honour and right of equality. During the British rule, their position remained unchanged. (Pandey 11)

Women has nothing of herself except her own body as the dialogue from R. K. Narayan’s The Dark Room stated that what possession can a woman call her own except her body? Everything that she has is her father’s, her husband’s or her son’s (Narayan, The Dark Room, 88). The position of women in India is complicated as Puja Mondal mentioned in her essay

Nectar in a Sieve concentrates on the narrator as well as the female protagonist, Rukmani. She is a village headman’s daughter. Rukmani narrates the story of poverty, hunger and the consition of the village from her point of view from her childhood until her old age. She gets marriage at the age of twelve with Nathan, a poor farmer which her family arranges for her. Due to the poor condition of Rukmani’s family, Rumani cannot marry with a rich man as her other sisters. Fortunately Nathan gives respect to Rukmani as she is a literate woman which is not common in that point of time. The manner that Nathan gives respect to Rukmani is strange condition that husband gives respect to his wife because India is a patriarchy country which men gain more priority than women in a society. Nathan and Rukmani use to support each other and go through every obstacle that comes in their life together. This makes Rukmani takes pleasure in her marriage life as she