Women in Early Kashmir

(Kashmir Rechords Exclusive in Connection with International Women’s Day)

Once again, we are celebrating International Women’s Day. The exclusivity of such celebrations associated with women unfortunately projects a compulsive need common to all societies of the world and it also reflects the fragile position women find themselves in, in the patriarchal nature of our world. However, it was not the same every time. Sociologists seem to rush to quote Will Durant to justify and claim the glorious position women commanded in the early stages of the formation of human societies followed by retrograde pattern of relegating and pushing them to margins, a universal fact of evolutionary history of human societies.

Back home, in our part of the world that is in Kashmir, there is in fact much to celebrate and cheer vis—as-vis the position of women. There was a time when authority and power was associated with matriarchy. Women were Yoginis, scholars, Advisors and powerful queens famous for institution building and administering justice.

Education: Their Birth Right

In early Käśmira (Kashmir), we learn that the first part of a woman’s life was spent in her father’s house when liberal education was imparted to her.  For example,  as part of the accepted tradition,  curriculum of studies in the 9^th century  AD included  the sexual sciences of  Vatsyayana, Dattaka, Vitaputra  and Rajaputura, the Natyasatra of Bharata, Visakhila’s treatise on art, Danitila’s  work on music, Vrksāyurveda, painting, needlework, woodwork, metal work, clay modeling, cookery, and practical training in instrumental music, singing, dancing, administration, etc.

Bilhana extols the women of Kāśmira for their learning which allowed them to speak fluently both in Sanskrit and Prakrt. According to Dr Sunil Chander Ray, the eminent Historian of India, the ladies of the royal family were given a good  administrative training. The great success with which  Kasmirian queens like Sugandha and Didda governed their dominions, naturally presupposes that they were put in the way to efficiency by some previous instruction  and practice.

Social position of Kashmiri Women

Dr Ray, in his most acclaimed book “ Early History and Culture of Kashmir’’, (1957) says that   women, in early Kashmir  played a leading role in the social and  political activities of the State of which we have many examples in the pages of Kalhana. The book carrying a very valued forward by K M Panikar, a former Ambassador of India to China startles the readers with the mention that during the time of Kumarajiva, the great Buddhist saint and scholar of Kashmir, it was customary for young men and women of Kuchi and Khotan to be sent to Kashmir for higher learning.

Regarding the proper age of marriage of a woman no positive evidence is forthcoming. A perusal of the Rajtarangni generally leaves the impression that pre-puberty marriage probably was not in vogue in ancient Kāśmira….. Indeed a very enlightening approach. A story related by Kşemendra in the Desopadeśa may indicate that girls were married at a mature age.

The family life, at least of the rich, was polygamous. The kings had seraglio full of queens and concubines and their example was followed by the aristocrats. Polyandry, according to Dr Ray, was quite unknown except perhaps among some aboriginal hill-tribes. (Polyandry to some extent is current among some of the aboriginal tribes of the neighboring regions may be presumed that it was so, even of Kasmiraa in earlier days).  However, the widow was expected to live a pure life, devoid of all luxury.  The use of ornament or gorgeous dress was forbidden to her…. a pan-India phenomenon.

Sati: An act of volition?

The custom of burning of sati was in vogue in Kashmir from an early time. In the story of Katha Sarit Sagar, which was composed in the valley in 11th century AD, the custom appears to be quite common. Kalhana’s chronicle Rajtarangni also testifies the same. For example it is mentioned that after the death of their husband Samkaravarman, Surendravati and two other queens cremated themselves along with him. When Yashaskara died, his wife Trailokyadev followed her husband to the funeral pyre. Sahi princess Bimba, after the death of the son of Tunga, who happened to be her husband, entered fire as a Sati.  There are many other examples of Sati tradition in early Kashmir.

Literary evidence amply testifies to the gross immorality and laxity of character prevailing among certain classes of women of ancient Kasmira. Kalhana’s Rajtarangni delineates in niceties of details the sensual excesses of the ladies of the palace and of the Court. The system of Devdasi practice was also prevalent but must have encountered opposition from the honest and pure minded section of the people. In fact, Al-Beruni testifies to such opposition in North-West India of which Kashmir was an important part.