question_answer

What did the spread of print culture in nineteenth century India mean to:

(a) Women

(b) The poor

(c) Reformers?

Answer:

(a) Women: Women became important as readers and writers.

Reading habits improved among them with increase in literacy, women took great interest in reading and writing.

Many magazines and books wen specially written for women and published.

The print culture gave the women some amount of freedom to read and develop their own views on various issues specially those related to women.

Women novelists such as Jane Austen and Bronte Sisters in Europe and Kailashbasini Debi and Pandita Ramabai in India represented the new type of woman-a woman with the power to think and with the ability to act with determination.

(b) The poor: As the literacy rate improved in Europe as well as in India, printed material, specially for entertainment began to reach even the poor.

In England 'penny chapbooks' were carried by peddlars and sold for a penny, so that even poor could buy them. Those who could not read, could listen to stories, folklore. These could be read out to them by others.  Books could be hired on a nominal fee from some book owners.

Even in India very cheap small books were brought to markets in 19th century Madras town, allowing poor people to have an access to print culture.

Public libraries were set up in early 20th century, where poor people could visit and borrow books. Gradually even poor people began to read religious stories, books with simple instruction or stories and folklores.

(c) Reformers: The spread of print culture brought intellectual awakening among the scholars and reformers.

It encouraged debates and discussion on religious matters and social issues-conflicting views were exchanged. These opinions were later printed and widely circulated among people.

In 1821, Raja Rammohun Roy published 'Sambad Kaumudi' and the orthodox Hindu section published 'Samachar Chandrika' to oppose his opinion. New ideas emerged through these clashes of opinion. The readers could use their reason and support the opinion that they approved.