Missionary engagements in India is always criticized for many reasons, one of the reason is the existence of caste in church. The influx of people into church due to mass conversion; changed the face of church. Missionary societies have concentrated willingly or unwillingly to minister to a particular caste. Caste of a people can be identified by their denomination, a state which was pathetic. But all these criticism arise out of not knowing history. When mission history was deeply studied everyone will know all these criticism has no value because the early mission report gives a different picture. There is a mixture of people in every mission field and church accepted all the people irrespective of caste, but most of the people will not accept this.

In Travancore the same scenario can be noticed when reading mission history. The early Christians were a mixed community belonging to different caste. Another notable fact which can be seen in history was many believed in Christ but were not baptized and not enrolled in church membership. It is an interesting subject which made me to peep into the historical writings, and archival sources. From the sources it is understood, a separate ministry has been done to women, and they became believers of Christ. Zenana mission was designed to meet the women who had no access to the public sphere. Missionaries supervised zenana mission and native Bible women were appointed to evangelize these secluded women. Travancore witnessed two missionary societies’ of zenana mission. Both grew in different background and prospered a lot. This book Zenana missions in Travancore draws your attention to missionaries and Bible women ministered in zenana mission.  

The early history of people, their society, and the origin of Christianity in Travancore with status of women based on the social, political, religious background. The origin of women’s work by two zenana missionary societies, its superintendents, Bible women and their modes of employment, the social and religious contribution of Bible women, the methods adopted by Bible women  through which mission got advanced, sponsors, visitors, contribution of Bible women to the society and an assessment of the zenana mission in Travancore are discussed in detail. With reflections on the consequences of zenana mission in Travancore the book ends.