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Geopolitical, historical, religious and socio-economic factors have impacted life patterns in Kashmir including cosmology of women. Women's long and torturous journey through various phases has seen shades of highs and lows. However, while considerable scholarship has focussed on religion, philosophy, history, architecture and politics of Kashmir, no comprehensive work on the triumphs and tribulations of women is available to date. This paper makes a modest attempt to look at the issue from gender perspective.
The historical narratives from the early times down to the 1 3th century A.D. glorify women. Several queens acted as sovereigns in their own rights and as queen-regents or commanders of armies in ancient times. However, a close look at these narratives reveals the inbuilt discrimination and biases against women in primitive social order. There is no way to justify them, much less to see them in ennobling light. Yet, the worst followed during the middle ages under the rule of Mughals and Afghans. Both men and women in the valley were traumatized. However, women being more vulnerable became commodities and objects of lust. Humiliated and terrorized, they lost their voices and were driven to seclusion.
Nonetheless, the spirit of womanhood resurfaced in the poetic expressions of legendary Lai Ded, Habba Khatoon and other celebrated women. Interspersed with time, their verses enlivened many a gloomy lives and are on the lips of Kashmiris even today. The difficult and delayed process of resurgence was set in motion towards the end of the first quarter of the last century. Patriarchy played a positive role and helped women, perched on the edge, to break their shackles. Education and dawn of political consciousness had a multiplier effect and changed the course of women's lives. The National Conference initially envisaged a limited role for women but later had a radical and a long-term package for them in the historical document 'Naya Kashmir'. Significantly, women's problems were viewed in the context of their empowerment for the first time. This was when no other political formation in the sub-continent had projected women's issues in this perspective. Taking advantage of the expanding educational and other opportunities under a popular government, Kashmiri women gained public space as never before. But the years of rejuvenation were shortlived. Sadly, few voices...