National Women’s Organization

The early women’s organizations were been confined to a particular locality or city. In 1910, Sarala Devi Chaudhurani, daughter of Swarnakumari Devi formed the Bharat Stree Mandal (Great Circle of India Women) with the object of bringing together “women of all castes, creeds, classes and parties… on the basis of their common interest in the moral and material progress of the women of India.” It planned to open branches all over India to promote women’s education. Branches were started in different cities such as Lahore, Amritsar, Allahabad, Hyderabad, Delhi, Karachi and other cities. Purdah was regarded by Sarala Devi as the main

obstacle for women’s education and teachers were sent round to women’s homes to educate them. She wanted women to escape male domination and as a result only women were allowed to join her organization. However, the Bharat Stree mahila Mandal proved to be a short lived venture.