The correct option is 1 only
Explanation
In medieval Indian agrarian society, particularly during the Mughal era, agricultural production was based on the labor of the entire household. Women played a crucial role, working shoulder to shoulder with men in the fields, although a strict division of labor was maintained for certain tasks.
Statement 1 is Correct:
Women were actively involved in the agricultural cycle. While men typically tilled and ploughed the fields, women were responsible for sowing, weeding, threshing, and winnowing the harvest. This collaboration was essential for the success of peasant farming.
Statement 2 is Incorrect:
Biases related to women's biological functions imposed specific ritual restrictions on their labor. For instance, in western India, menstruating women were not allowed to touch the plough or the potter's wheel in Bengal. Therefore, it is incorrect to say there were no ritual restrictions.
Statement 3 is Incorrect:
The growth of commercialized products (cash crops) like cotton and silk actually increased the demand for women's labor rather than reducing it. The processing of these crops-such as spinning yarn, sifting, and kneading clay for pottery, or embroidery-was labor-intensive and largely depended on female labor.
Key Takeaway:
Women in medieval agrarian society were integral to production, performing specific tasks like weeding and winnowing. However, their participation was subject to ritual taboos, and the commercialization of agriculture increased their workload due to the labor-intensive nature of processing cash crops.