Law of Manu

IN INDIAN mythology Manu isthe first man and the legendary author of an important Sanskrit code of lawcalled Manu Samhita and Manu-smriti.

The name Manu is linked to the verb"think." Manu is known as the first king. Most rulers of medievalIndia traced their genealogy back to him.

The Manusmriti, translated smriti of Manu is regarded as an important work of Hindu law and ancientIndiansociety. It is one of the eighteen Smritis of the Dharmasastra; and is a part of the Smriti literature. It contains laws,rules and codes of conduct to be applied by individuals, communities andnations. Some of these laws codify the Hindu castesystem and discuss the "stagesof life for a twice-born man".

It deals with interesting cosmogony,definitions of what is right and fit (dharma), the sacraments, initiation andVedic study, forms of marriage, hospitality and funerary rites, dietary laws,pollution and purification, rules for women and wives, royal law, many sorts ofjuridical matters, and also more religious matters, which include donations,rites, the doctrine of karma ("giving-back"), the soul, andpunishment in many sorts of hells.

It is one of the most controversial works of Hindu literature owing to itsalleged discrimination of women and shudras (based upon western translations). Hinduscholars have however argued that the relevance or awareness of the scripturewas not considerable until the British brought it into the limelight as animportant Hindu scripture. It is however agreed upon that the scripture doesn'tsanction support for outcastes such as Harijans or Chandaals, but bears castediscrimination of Shudras.

This Visual Presentation throws light on the Laws of Manu with respect to the Hindu Woman. It employs the use of Photography with fitting captions to convey some of the most powerful statements from the Manusmriti.