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Brother Quote by Indira Gandhi

“At a certain point the family moved to Jaipur, where no woman could avoid the doli or purdah. They kept her in the house from morning to night, either cooking or doing nothing. [My mother] hated doing nothing, she hated to cook. So she became pale and ill, and far from being concerned about her…” quote by Indira Gandhi
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“At a certain point the family moved to Jaipur, where no woman could avoid the doli or purdah. They kept her in the house from morning to night, either cooking or doing nothing. [My mother] hated doing nothing, she hated to cook. So she became pale and ill, and far from being concerned about her health, my grandfather said, 'Who's going to marry her now?' So my grandmother waited for my grandfather to go out, and then she dressed my mother as a man and let her go out riding with her brothers.”

Indira Gandhi

About This Quote

Source Memoir: My Mother’s Story, unpublished

A woman defied restrictive customs by disguising herself as a man to ride, highlighting resistance to gender oppression.

In simple terms: She challenged gender norms through disguise.

Key Takeaway

Support agency and defy limiting traditions.

Themes

gender culture resistance

Mood

inspirational defiant

Type

social cultural

When to use this quote

  • family dynamics
  • women’s rights
  • cultural reform

Key Concepts

patriarchy social norms

Questions to Reflect On

  • What motivates individuals to break oppressive norms?
  • How can societies evolve to reduce such constraints?
A Different Perspective

Such actions risk severe social backlash.

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