This paper highlights the social and cultural practices that perpetuated the inferior status of women in India, particularly within the context of traditional Hinduism. It discusses how, for centuries, women were confined to domestic roles, with limited access to education and no rights to family property. The text critiques the orthodox view that justified these practices through the Manu Dharma code, which Periyar vehemently opposed. He condemned the code for its treatment of women as inferior and worse than animals, criticizing practices like child marriage, where girls were married off at a young age and deprived of education or personal agency. Periyar's criticism of Hinduism and its orthodox practices centered on the harm these traditions caused to women, particularly in the form of child marriages and the resulting early widowhood. The passage underscores Periyar's commitment to challenging these social injustices and advocating for the empowerment and rights of women.