In 1876, when women in India were not even being urged to read, Rassundari Devi from Bengal broke all taboos to be the first Indian woman to write an autobiography.
Her autobiography, Amar Jiban ("My Life"), is still a landmark in literature as well as women's history.
The Making of Amar Jiban
Born in 1809 in a traditional household, Rassundari Devi never went to school. Indeed, reading and writing were taboo for women.
But she was hell-bent on knowing more. In secret, she learned to read by piecing together letters from a religious text—a rebellion in itself.
Her existence was defined by boundless household chores—cooking, cleaning, and childrearing a large family. However, she fought to find time for herself to develop her intellect.
Legacy and Impact on Women’s Voices in India
Amar Jiban, composed in two parts, was more than a personal memoir: it was a fearless political gesture: a woman challenging the powers that silenced her inner voice.
The autobiography reflected on her battles, spirituality, and grit, and unobtrusively challenged gender norms and the unjustice of excluding women from education.
It is a remarkable witness to self-representation in a period when women's voices were silenced in public life.
Rassundari Devi therefore took on a pioneering role—her life history coming before the work of other women authors and making way for Indian women to make their own claim upon literacy, narrative, and history.
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