This book assesses the contemporary Indian woman. It explores the thinking influences of culture and historical conditioning on her, along with the challenges she faces. It discusses questions such as: ‘Is there such a thing as a typical Indian woman?’ and ‘What is the present day reality in terms of the breakup of a joint family, or a woman as a wage earner?’ The issues dealt with in this book are those that connect female awareness and its struggle against patriarchy specific to Indian culture. Indian religious texts and shastras are used to reinforce the argument that gender in many ways has become a curious equalser with respect to Indian women even though the conventional caste-structure continues to dominate social operations.