Turmeric Land-Women s Property Rights in Tamil Society since Early Medieval Times

Women's Property Rights in Tamil Society since Early Medieval Times Kanakalatha Mukund Contrary to the general notion that women had no property rights in Hindu society until the enactment of the Hindu Women's Succession Act in 1956, we find that in ancient taw and modern legal history, women's property rights have been accepted. In Tamil society in particular, we can trace a long history of women owning, controlling and disposing of personal property, while in more recent times, there is a distinctive tradition of land passing from mother to daughter in a female line of descent. The evidence suggests that there is scope for much more intensive research to establish the intra-cultural variations and regional patterns.