Women in Hinduism

The story of Ram and Sita - told in the Hindu epic, the Ramayan - is known to every Hindu and - more indirectly - to the millions who have seen the film Slumdog Millionaire. The hero of the film, like Ram, takes control and conquers in adversity. The heroine - the love interest - is a passive figure , in need of rescue.There are around a million Hindus living in Britain and they take many of their values from the story of Ram. But are some of those values demeaning to women? There are many gods and goddesses in Hinduism but do they provide good role models for modern women? What does Hinduism teach about how women are supposed to live their lives? Joining Ernie Rea to discuss a woman's place in Hindu society are Atreyee Sen, Lecturer in Contemporary Religion and Conflict at Manchester University; Shaunaka Rishi Das, Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies; and Padma Anagol, Senior Lecturer in History at Cardiff University.