Just as I had convinced myself by the time I went to 10th grade that the 16th and 17th century India for Islamic women was doomed, something inside me had a gentle urge to go beyond the school history textbooks and dig in a little deeper. I felt that the truth lies differently somewhere. When we think of the word ‘harem’ or ‘zenana’, we instantly think about how women would be objectified or were …
She rules. She governs. She plays fair. She builds intricate buildings and is a patron of arts and poetry. She owns a ship which travels to Mecca & Madina for worship. She looks after the port of Gujarat. A grand procession takes place when she enters the Chandni Chowk. There are slow moving elephants, and men sprinkle water and flowers as she passes by. A woman stands in front of the elephant wi…
