Zenana Book Club
is a group of women living just north of Washington, D.C. in the Hyattsville,
University Park, Silver Spring areas. Since 1996, we have met once a month (at a
member's house) to engage in spirited discussions accompanied
by good food.
We have had many requests, of late, to extend our
membership but we are not accepting new members at this time.
Browse our Web pages to see what we've read and are
currently reading. You may Browse by Author, Browse by Year, and coming soon, be
able to Browse by Title.
Zenana
(in India) 1. The part of the house in which the women and girls of a family are
secluded. 2. of or pertaining to the Zenana or its occupants [descended from
Hindi and Persian zanana, derivative of zan=woman, wife, Greek gyné, Old Slavic
zena and Old English cwén=woman, wife] (Excerpt from Webster's Encyclopedic
dictionary)
The most secluded section of the palace in India was the zenana, or
women's quarters. Until recently, palace women lived behind protective walls and
brass doors that were shut firmly at night.
Zenana, goddess of fertility, earth
Known as Mother to her disciples, Zenana represents the oldest of the living
gods. Zenana is primarily worshipped by farmers, women wishing for fertility,
and others who depend on the earth for their livelihood. She is the most
powerful god in the pantheon, and most of her worshippers have some aspect of
neutrality and balance in their outlook.
