The armed struggle against the British hegemony launched by Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi [1835 - 1858] and Rani Chennanna of Kittur, [Karnataka] the two great patriotic women leaders are very famous in the Indian history. In fact, they inspired women as well as men of India to fight for the cause of freedom. But in such struggles ordinary women could hardly play an active role. It was Gandhiji who worked a lot to obtain the active participation of a large number of even ordinary women in the Indian freedom struggle. The Women's Indian Association also created some awareness among our women to join the freedom struggle. When Annie Besant, the leader of the "Home Rule Movement" was arrested, Indian women had led processions to temples to offer their prayers for her release. Annie Besant in her presidential address at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress has said that the strength of the Home Rule Movement was rendered tenfold greater by the admission to it by a large number of women. Mahatma Gnadhi rendered a signal service to the advancement of women's movement by making thousands of them, of all classes, to come out of their homes and participate in the political movement. He had realized that freedom movement would become a success only with the participation of women on a mass scale. He was able to persuade a large number of them to plunge into the freedom struggle. In the satyagrahas, processions, protest meetings, demonstrations and public meetings led by him, women used to take part in large numbers. For example, in the Salt Agitation of 1930, more than 17,000 women took part. In the 'Quit India' agitation of 1942 and in the 'Seva Dal Camps', women participated in a huge number.
The number of women who participated was, however, way less than the number of men who participated. Women were still being restricted to their homes. They were appreciated for their contribution. This contribution was in the form of doing the household chores. Songs were sung and poetry was composed which praised them for their contribution. Most of the women were in this situation. The idea of the motherland was transposed to the country. Women were praised in this manner. Most of them were still not educated!
