Explore the multifaceted roles of women in ancient India’s Puranic traditions with ‘Women and the Puranic Tradition in India’. This insightful book, set against the socio-religious backdrop of CE 300–1000, analyzes diverse female archetypes—from the devoted wife and mother to the widow and courtesan—as depicted in Brahmanical Puranas. Unlike restrictive Smṛtis, Puranas offered a broader perspective, and this study delves into the multiplicity of women’s experiences within and beyond domestic life. Focusing on key Mahāpurāṇas like Vishnu, Markandeya, and Bhagavata, it examines gender, agency, and how female identities were constructed, challenged, and perpetuated through narratives. Discover the enduring social consequences and contemporary relevance of these ancient portrayals in areas of marriage, devotion, and ritual.