Patriarchal Boundaries and 'Undeclared' Female Resistance in the 1857 Rajputana Uprising: A Study of Folk Literature

Rajasthani women, often perceived as passive under patriarchal norms during the 1857 uprising, wielded significant 'undeclared' political agency through folk literature and bardic traditions. This study reveals how they leveraged domestic influence and cultural codes of honor to instigate anti-British resistance, challenging the male-dominated historiography. By analyzing ballads, poetry, and anecdotes, it demonstrates their role in awakening male martial pride, such as Jawaharji's attack on Agra Fort, triggered by his uncle's wife's taunts. Women also rebuked husbands who submitted to colonial pressures, like Rawal Jaswant Singh of Dungarpur, using social critique and folk traditions as ideological tools. Their influence, though unacknowledged in official archives, was pivotal in fueling anti-colonial sentiment.

Abhinav Choudhary. (2026). Patriarchal Boundaries and 'Undeclared' Female Resistance in the 1857 Rajputana Uprising: A Study of Folk Literature (Dr. Vivek & Dr. Shilpi Doodwal, Eds.; Version 1). Pustak Bharati (Books-India) Publishers & Distributors H.N. 168, Nehiyan, Varanasi-221202, U. P. Phone : +91-7355682455 email : pustak.bharati.india@gmail.com. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.20673995