Awakening of Rajbanshi women in North Bengal: Revisiting history

The study titled, “Awakening of Rajbanshi Women in North Bengal: Revisiting History” explores the participation of women in various movements in North Bengal with a special focus on their role in the most talked about movements of North Bengal, the Tebhaga Movement and the Naxalbari Movement. Did women participate in North Bengal’s long history of struggle in any way? In the social and political conditions of that time, could women participate in the political movement independently? The present paper attempts to answer all these questions. This study is mainly based on the extensive literature. The researchers attempted to integrate all the scattered information from various secondary sources. The researchers present women's participation in movements in different periods of history and the challenges they faced in society. Studies revealed that although the rural women lacked political foresight, they were immensely courageous. Instead of fighting alone, they have organized women through union led by women leaders. They fought for their rights and their country in different movements. It is noted that the women’s leadership capacity was not being recognized, the glorious women’s history was not being written with due importance which seems to be a reflection of narrow patriarchal attitudes.