In its focus on traditional male power in rural India, gender studies has frequently overlooked the disempowerment of men through the combined effects of women's subversion of power, elite terrorism and a depressed economy. This study of women in a mainly Hindu southern Maharashtran village fills that gap and furthers our understanding of the complexities women face in maintaining the balance between traditional expectations and current realities. Interweaving the life stories of women farmers, this book explores the strategies women resort to in the face of traditional male dominance. It also depicts the impact of anrrow but important class distinctions and male migration on traditional rural gender roles. Combining personal encounters with social investigation this is a portrayal of women and village life.