Manu and women

Manu the ancient Hindu lawgiver is leery of granting women independent status. He prefers that they be supervised either by a father or a husband. This way there's no question who is a baby dad.

But Manu's impression of women wasn't all bad. " Men who wish for good fortune must always honor women," he wrote. " The gods shower happiness and prosperity wherever women are venerated. But in those lands where women are not respected, misfortune surely befalls".