Depiction of women in the sources of the Delhi sultanate

Abstract

Gender studies are emerging as an upcoming trend in recent past. Such studies have immensely added to the existing knowledge. The focus has however largely been enjoyed by modern Indian history. A study probing women in Medieval India is therefore always welcome. Fortunately enough, Delhi Sultanate has received comprehensive appraisal in varied primary sources ---- The official chronicles, versified accounts, Malfuzat literature. The present study is an attempt to evaluate the depiction of women in the rich content of primary sources of Delhi Sultanate. Medieval society is presupposed to curtail women activity. Constraints of social practices, and customs like purdah, sati, dowry etc. were deterrents in the everyday life of aristocracy and lay woman. The present study intends to identify the zones in which women activity took part. The chapter layout classifies these arenas. Current issues viz. gender discrimination, overarching patriarchal setup, rural urban dichotomy is also meted out in the course of discussion in the chapter schema. The present study propels the data on participation of women in the realms of imperial politics, religion, work, education and other society related matter to show that women also played quite important roles freely and equally in all walks of life and contributed for the continuation and development of culture, her existence was in no way marginalized in medieval set up. The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Century India witnessed the emergence and consolidation of Muslim rule there. This era can be seen as a formative phase in the establishment of the Muslim rule in India. Political authority and state structures that emerged in these two centuries, influenced the exercise of power, authority patterns and political institutions in ensuing centuries and still continue to inform them to a certain extent. The Delhi Sultanate is also important because a majority of its subjects were native non-Muslim, primarily Hindu by faith, whereas the ruling elite was predominantly comprised of Muslims