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Mughals And Backwardness Of Indian Women...
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Old 19-02-2008
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Mughals And Backwardness Of Indian Women...


Mughals And Backwardness Of Indian Women...

By Adv. Irfan Engineer

26 June, 2007


The Presidential nominee of the UPA made an unnecessary statement linking the ghunghat of Hindu women to the Mughal rule. School text-books in South Asia are full of such unverified "wisdom". The authors of the text-books are paid low remuneration which does not attract accomplished academicians to write the school text-books.

The text-books reflect the beliefs and perceptions of their urban upper caste male authors, which may not always be factual. In fact text books in Rajasthan even glorify fascism as more efficient than democracy and therefore preferable in many respects. Even after passing school, the impressionistic information imparted to school students through the text books persist if not critically examined by them in pursuit of higher academics or for better understanding. However, presidential nominee should be careful while making such unverified statements. Such statements of a presidential nominee may be misused by communal elements.

Renowned Historian Harbans Mukhiya opines that the practice of ghunghat pre-dated the Mughal rule. Purdah worn by Muslim women in the South Asian sub-continent is not seen in any other country or region. Covering head by wearing a head scarf or chador is more in practice in other countries. In fact, the purdah or burqa worn by Indian Muslim women is modified and adopted form of ghunghat worn by Hindu women. When I was in Central Asian Country – Kyrghystan, the region from where the Mughal Rulers have originated, I didn't find a single women wearing anything like purdah or a veil. Women were dressed more like their European counter parts. If the ghunghat of the Hindu women were under Mughal influence, then Muslim women outside South Asia also should have been burqa or veil. However, this is not the case. Whether burqa influenced ghunghat or the other way round is anybody guess.

The argument that ghunghat was a protective mechanism of Hindu women against the atrocities of Mughals will also not take us very far. The power wielding male aggressor out to satisfy his lust seldom respects burqas or ghunghats. Power wielding elite exploit helpless victims to satisfy their lust without any respect for dress code of any woman. The argument that ghunghat protected women from sexual lust of power wielding men will logically lead us to the conclusion that victims of rape are themselves responsible for the crime and invited the sexual assault as they were not properly clad. How do you explain rapes in police custody and sexual harassment at workplace in that case? Can one imagine a dalit landless labourer sexually assaulting an upper caste woman from a land owning family in a village however she may be dressed? Not because dalit males respect the individuality of the fairer sex but they know that the consequence of such a misadventure. What matters is, who is vested with power and social sanctions and not how one is dressed.

The ideology of right wing Hindu communal elements popularizes the belief that the only oppressors of Hindu women in medieval period were the Mughal aggressors. Otherwise everything else was hunky dory for the Hindu women. No doubt all monarchs have oppressed peasants, landless, lower castes and women and the Mughal Emperors were no different in that respect. Mughal rulers, as all monarchs head an oppressive social structure unprivileging the peasants, artisans and women vesting social sanctions and authority in the hands of local rulers or rajas, landlords, upper castes and male members of the society.

Sexual assault on women was just one of the way women were exploited, and sexual exploiters of women were privileged sections of male, irrespective of their religion. The Mughal rule was not without the consent of Hindu rulers and elites of the time, which included the upper caste males, landlords and the priests who gave social sanction to unprivileging women in general and lower caste women in particular, making them vulnerable to sexual assaults. The right wing Hindu ideology absolves the responsibility of the Hindu male elite, the landlords and the upper caste males in oppression of women.

Renowned Historian Uma Chakravorty has studied the oppression of women in ancient India by examining records, documents and analyzing ancient stories. Oppression of Hindu widows and segregation of upper caste women in ancient India has been well documented now. In fact women listening to recitation from religious scriptures were to be punished by putting molten lead in her ears. Tulsidas equated women with objects like drums and animals which deserve to be beaten. Feudal system always considered wives as dasi (slave) and even today many women consider their husbands as their devta (face of god).

Rajputs in Rajasthan defend sati with pride as their ancient tradition. There is therefore a basic fallacy in the argument that backward traditions in one community are due to influence of other community. Women across religion, caste or ethnic origins have been oppressed. Comparing or even blaming another community for the plight of women belonging to one's community will only communalize the cause of women's emancipation.

Islam was one of the first religions which recognized the independent existence of women. The Holy Quran does not address only men – it addresses both the genders. Women are entitled to inherit half the share inherited by her brother. Muslim women can also enjoy her property and even her husband may not interfere with her right. The holy Quran also calls upon the Muslim men and women to learn and acquire knowledge and wisdom and to go to China if need be to acquire knowledge. In fact there are many Hadith (Prophet's pronouncement) which prove that women would not only participate in religious and social affairs but would also argue with the Holy Prophet.

However, as Islam spread far and wide outside Arab territories, feudal traditions and practices got better of Islam and the feudal elites justified the old feudal practices as Islamic. Muslim women are amongst the most oppressed and subjugated today. Oppressive traditions are product of certain socio-economic system. The feudal values and traditions of the past still continue and women continue to be oppressed irrespective of the religion they follow. Invoking name of god grants far more legitimacy to patriarchy.

Communalizing the cause of women's empowerment will do a great disservice to the cause of empowerment of women. It will segregate and divide the women along community lines pitting them against each other. The need of the hour is that women of all communities, castes, and nations together should lead a war on patriarchy and be assisted in their efforts by men who are for gender justice. Whether women wear burqa or ghunghat by itself is not an issue.

What is important is that no woman should be dictated any dress code. Jack Straw's lecture to Muslim women in UK that their veil was an obstruction to good communal relations Christians and Muslims was equally impolite. What is important is that women, irrespective of the dress they chose to wear, including ghunghat or burqa should enjoy all the rights enjoyed by men equally and without any discrimination and that it is their constitutional right to be independent and individual, and the same should be respected by one and all.


--
Irfan Engineer
Director,
Institute of Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution,
603, Silver Star, Next to Omkar Building, Near Railway Bridge, Prbhat Colony, Mumbai, India. PIN: 400055.

e-mail: irfansan@hotmail.com


Yaad Kuch Aata Nahin, Yeh Hua Kab Se...Ho Gaya Mushkil Chhupaana Raaz Yeh Sab Se...Tum Kaho To Maang Loon Main Aaj Kuch Rab Se Rabba mere rabba rabba, rabba mere rabba,Is pyaar ko main kya naam doon Roshni se bhare bhare..Bhare bhare naina tere..Chhooke bole na chhoona mujhe Suraj hua maddham, chaand jalne laga..Aasmaan yeh haai kyoon pighalne laga..Main thehra raha, zameen chalne lagi.. Bheeghi Bheeghi Raaton Mein, Phir Tum Aao Na...Asi Barsaton Mein Aao Na.. Humko Humise Chura Lo, Dil Mein Kahin Tum Chhupa Lo,Hum Akele Kho Naa Jaaye, Door Tumse Ho Naa Jaaye,Paas Aao Gale Se Lagaa Lo Toota Toota ek parinda...Jo bhi kaal hua kal bhi phir aayaga Hai...Tumse milke dil ka hai jo haal kya kahe..Ho gaya hai kaisa yeh kamaal kya kahe Ruka Ja, Oh Jaana Wali Ruka Ja...Nazara Mein To Tera Bhura Sa Sahi..Adami Mein Bhura Nahi Dil Ka Aja Re, Aja Re Oh Mere Dilbar Aja..Dil Ki Pyaas Buja Ja Re...Oh Noorie kabhie kabhie mere dil mein khayaal aata hai...ke jaise tujh ko banaya gaya hai mere liye..ke jaise tujh ko banaya gaya haiKitna bechain hoke tumse mila...Tumko kya tha khabar tha main kitna akela ..Ke kitna mohabbat hai tumse...Hai...Tumse milke dil ka hai jo haal kya kahe..Ho gaya hai kaisa yeh kamaal kya kaheTujhe dekha to yeh jaana sanam..Pyaar hota hai deewana sanam..Tujhe dekha to yeh jaana sanam.Tujhe dekha to yeh jaana sanam..Pyaar hota hai deewana sanam.Ab ahan se kahan jaaye hum..Teri bahon mein mar jaaye hum Aksar is duniya mein anjaane milte hain,Anjaani raahon mein milke kho jaate hain,Lekin hamesha voh yaad aate hain Na kajre ki dhaar, na motiyon ke haar,Na koi kiya singaar phir bhi kitni sundar ho,Tum kitni sundar ho Na jaane mere dil ko kya ho gaya..Abhi to yahin tha, abhi kho gaya..Ho gaya hai tujhko to pyaar sajna..Lakh kar le tu inkaar sajna..Dildaar sajna, hai yeh pyaar sajna



Dil Dooba Dil Dooba...Neela Akho Mein Yeh Dil Dooba.. Neela Neela Amber Per Chand Jab Aye...Aisa Koi Saathi Ho ..Aisa Koi Premi Hoi Jaanam Dekh Lo Mit Gayeen Dooriyaan..Main Yahaan Hoon Yahaan Hoon..Yahaan Hoon..Yahaan...Kaisi Sarhadein...Kaisi Majbooriyaan..Main Yahaan Hoon Yahaan Hoon..Yahaan Hoon..Yahaan...Tum Chhupaa Na Sakogi Main Vo Raaz Hoon...Tum Bhulaa Na Sakogi Vo Andaaz Hoon...Goonjtaa Hoon Jo Dil Mein To Hairaan Ho Kyon...Main Tumhaare Hi Dil Ki To Aavaaz Hoon...Main Yahaan Hoon Yahaan Hoon..Yahaan Hoon..Yahaan... Aisa muhje tu na dehka na...seeena se laga loonga, tum ko tumse chura loonga...dil mein chupa loonga Gila Gila Dil Gila.. Mila mila mila koi mila ...Teri Ha Adaar Laga sab se judaa hai dil tuje per fida hai... Dhoom Dhoom let ya body do the talking..Dhoom Dhoom be the fire thats buring..Dhoom machaalay dhoom machaalay dhoom Tere Liye Hum Hai Jiye..Hota ke siya...Dil mein Magar chalte reha chaahat ke Diya... Zara zara bahekta hai, mahekta hai,Aaj to mera tan badan, main pyaasi hoon,Mujhe bhar le apni baahon mein Dheera dheera se mera zindagi mein ana...tumsi pyar huma hai kitna jaana jaana Pyar ke isa khel mein..do dil aur mehl mein, tera peecha na chodunga soniya Mera mehboob sanam, tera ashiq hogaya hum...milaka nazaaro se nazaar tera pyaar mein kogaya hum... Wada Raha Pyar Se Pyar Ka, Hum Na Hoga Juda, Dil Ke Dhadkhan Sunrha Hai Mera Khudda Dheera Dheera Se Mera Zindagi Mein Ana...Tumsi Pyar Huma Hai Kitna Jaana JaanaSaamne hain raastein, hum guzar jaaye...Ya kisi ke vaaste hum thaher jaaye...Ab yahan tak aa gaye hain, ab kidhar jaaye...Jaaduuuuuuu teri nazar...Kushboo tera baadan..tu har kar, ya nah kar...Kali nagin ke jaise..Zulfe teri kali kali..Sagar ko moti aur..Suraj ko tu dati hai lali..Kali nagin ke jaise..Zulfe teri kali kaliYeh din yeh mahine saal guzar jaayenge mere yaar..Magar itna rakhna khayaal..Jeena sirf mere liye, jeena sirf mere liye..Kasam se jeena sirf mere liye, jeena sirf mere liye Banno ki saheli resham ki dori..Chhup chhupke sharmaaye dekhe chori chori..Yeh maane ya na maane main to ispe mar gaya..Yeh ladki haai allah, haai haai re allah Tum paas aaye, yun muskuraaye,Tumne na jaane kya sapne dikhaaye,Tum paas aaye, yun muskuraaye,Tumne na jaane kya sapne dikhaaye,Ab to mera dil jaage na sota hai,Kya karoon haaye, kuch kuch hota hai
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