Sculptures of female Rishis

Sculptures of Goddess Saraswati & Vedic women wearing the Janeu (sacred thread), which is worn after completing one's education and becoming a Dwija, suggest that education was accessible to women. Vedic literature also mentions highly educated women, known as Brahmavadinis (who pursued lifelong learning) and Sadyodvahas (who studied until marriage). Prominent female scholars like Gargi and Maitreyi even engaged in philosophical debates with their male counterparts, further highlighting the role of women in education and intellectual discourse.