In Raja Rao's Kanthapura, one can see how Ghandian ideas effected the gender roles in Kanthapura. The book starts off before these ideas have been introduced to the village, as the novel progresses the reader can see how Ghandian ideas bring women into new roles.

 

     Before Ghandian ideas were introduced to Kanthapura, women stayed home and did what a women was expected to do.  They took care of the children, cooked, cleaned, and did whatever their husbands told them to do.  This was what women had always done and their husbands expected them to do these tasks.

 

     The first step of the transformation of the Kanthpuran women was when Ratna came back from the city.  She was one of the few women in the village to have a formal education.  She learned such things as yoga, reading, and Ghandian ideas.  With these skills, she was able to become a leader for the women.  She was able to take the place of Ramakrishna upon his death.  This position allowed her to take a position of great influence in the village.  She convinced some of the village women to become Ghandian volunteers.

 

     The idea of being able to help the village appealed to the women.  But, the women were not ready to latch on to these ideas.  The men were not ready for their women to do duties that were traditionally theirs.  One husband commented," Why soon it will be as if the men will have to wear bangles and cook, so that the women can show themselves off."  Men like him and their wives were used to the traditional values. Another example is when Rangamma asks Najamma to become a volunteer.  Najamma replies, "Why, I am not a man to fight, sister" (103).  The women were afraid to change and their husbands did not want them to change, either.  But, the power of Ghandian ideas began to change the villagers ideas about gender roles.

 

     After a great amount of working for their freedom, the women were allowed to march with their men when they went on toddy booth protests.  They knew what they were getting into and did not expect any special treatment.  When the police began to beat them, they did not fight back.  They simply followed Ghandi's ideas and took the beatings.  Certainly, when the men saw the women taking these beating so bravely, they had greater respect for them.

 

     This situation is similar to the women serving in the United States military.  At first, women were allowed to do things that women were supposed to do such as nursing the wounded.  At home, women were expected to stay home and be a housewives, like in Kanthapura.  Women fought for their rights and soon they were given more rights.  They now can take almost any position in the U.S. military.  The Kanthapuran women probably saw a greater level of freedom when they came back from their battle against the toddy shops.

 

     Another way that the women became more self-reliant was when  their husbands were taken to jail.  All of the husbands did not go at once, but during times of protest several of the husbands would be away or in jail.  With these men missing, the women had to be the head of the household.  If enough men were gone, they might have to do the jobs that were usaully men's.  These job's might include plowing the fields or village leadership.  When their husbands came back, the women would be forced to return to their old jobs.  They had tasted freedom and would probably continue to do some of the things that they did when their husbands were away. 

 

     The women of Kanthapura progressed a great deal from the situation they were in at the beginning of the book.  In the beginning, they stayed home and did what the men expected them to do.  They gained more and more freedom as Ghandian ideas were introduced to the village.  Soon they were going with the men on the boycotts of the toddy booths.  They also were able to do some of the jobs normally reserved for men while their husbands were away.  The introduction of Ghandian ideas greatly changed their lives.