Forgotten Women Freedom Fighters of Bihar

Gender, Resistance, and Nationalism (1920–1947)

Abstract

This paper examines the role of forgotten women freedom fighters in Bihar during the Indian independence movement from 1920 to 1947. The historical literature has ignored women's contributions to the Indian freedom struggle; therefore, the present research aims to fill this research gap and try to investigate the feminist view towards the Indian Independence movement. These women contributed to various movements of Indian independence like the Civil Disobedience Movement, Non-Cooperation Movement, and Quit India Movement. The study explores the activism of prominent figures such as Saraswati Devi, Vindhayasini Devi, Tarkeshwari Sinha, Tara rani Shrivastava, Ram Piyari Devi, and other lesser-known local Bihar women leaders who mobilised rural and urban communities. The present paper has utilised archival research and oral histories to highlight how these women defied cultural expectations, organised impactful protests, and played a key role in advancing the movement of the independence struggle at the regional level in various rural areas of present Bihar. The findings emphasize the intersection of gender, caste, and nationalism, revealing the multifaceted roles these women played in both the public and private spheres. This research contributes to the broader understanding of Bihari women's gender dynamics in colonial resistance and the reconfiguration of social identities during the independence movement.