The Zanana (or Zenana) system refers to the practice of secluding women within a designated inner space of the household. This system is rooted in ideas of honour, modesty, and gender segregation. It is derived from the Persian word zenana, meaning ‘of women’. It developed alongside the purdah system and spread widely in India after the 13th century, influencing both Muslim and Hindu households. While it restricted women’s mobility, the zenana also became a space of education, cultural exchange, and solidarity. In the 19th century, reformers such as Alexander Duff promoted Zenana education, enabling women to access learning within seclusion.

The Devadasi system was a significant religious institution in the early medieval India, especially from the 9th Century CE. Devadasis were women dedicated to temple deities, serving through ritual, dance, and music. They were known as ‘servants of gods and goddesses’. They were attached to major Brahmanical temples and played key roles in worship and processions. While early devadasis enjoyed social prestige and contributed to classical arts like Bharatanatyam and Odissi, the system gradually declined. Over time, religious sanction enabled exploitation, denying many women basic rights. Thus, some historians view devadasis as cultural and ritual specialists, while others highlight how religious sanction gradually enabled misuse, altering the original spiritual purpose of the institution.