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Our history books are undergoing a transformation, but not in a way that strengthens them. The decision makers are there Erasure of the Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate from history books or Renaming of Babri Masjid In order to fit a particular narrative, there is also a further erasure of the most radical figures of our past. Not only is this revision of history to fit patriarchal, right-wing myths about a golden age disrespectful, but this selective version of the past only allows women to do two things: They can be victims, saved by men, or mothers, sacrificed.
Razia Sultan and Rudrama Devi are great historical examples of women who have subverted patriarchal expectations of femininity and shown that power is an achievement, but one that is uncomfortable for a patriarchal society that sees women’s legitimate place in the domestic sphere.
We learn about Rani Lakshmi Bai not just because she was a great military strategist, but because she fought a war with her child on her back. Why can’t she be considered a hero for her efforts on the battlefield alone, without focusing on her domestic duties?
On the other hand, Razia Sultan and Rudrama Devi are great historical examples of women who subverted patriarchal expectations of femininity and showed that power is an achievement, but one that is uncomfortable for a patriarchal society that sees women’s legitimate place in the domestic sphere.
Razia Sultan: The Queen Who Rejected the “a”.
The Mamluk ruler Sultan Iltutmish had outlived his sons and appointed his daughter. raidas his legacy. This was a novelty at a time when accession to the throne was widely viewed as a male domain. In 1236, after Iltutmish’s death, Razia became the first Muslim ruler of the Indian subcontinent and the first and only female sultana of the Delhi Sultanate.
Razia knew that titles are important in shaping perception. She did not accept the position of “Sultana”, i.e. the Sultan’s wife. Instead, she declared herself Sultan Jalalat-al-Duniya wal-Din. By losing that one vowel, she showed that her power was not secondary and that she did not rule for a deceased husband. She was the Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate; she was not a wife.
Painting of Razia Sultan from the cover of a manuscript of Tulsi Das’ Ramcharitmanas
Their rebellion knew no end. She rejected the purdah and appeared in the Durbar wearing a Kaba (cloak) and a Kulah (hat). By riding her elephant through the city of Delhi with her face uncovered, she confronted patriarchal norms that viewed women as the “private property” of men and not as individuals. However, Razia was deposed and ultimately murdered, showing that the exercise of power by a woman – even one with supposedly masculine virtues – was still unacceptable to a patriarchal society that viewed power as the domain of men.
Rudrama Devi: The Kakatiya Son
Years after Razia Sultan’s ascension to the Delhi throne and her eventual death, the subcontinent witnessed another such ruler, this time in the Deccan region. Sometime in the mid-12th century, the Kakatiya ruler King Ganapati Deva performed the Putrika ceremony, a legal and religious ritual that allowed a father to name his daughter his son, thereby allowing her to inherit the throne. Ganapati Deva’s daughter, Rudrama Devieventually became Rudra Deva Maharaja.
Where Razia failed, Rudrama succeeded in gaining legal recognition of her role as king. However, their successful and stable reign proves that “king” did not have to be a gendered role.
Rudrama Devi was a man before the law. She was addressed by the name Maharaja Rudradeva: her official state identity. Unlike Razia, in the case of Rudrama Devi, the exercise of masculinity was supported by the law and the nobles were obliged to treat her as a king. The inscriptions in the Kakatiya temples at Hanumakonda address her as a king and not a queen.
Not only was she a political scholar, but also a warrior who led her cavalry. When Marco Polo visited the country, he said that Rudrama Devi was a lover of justice, equality and peace, better than any other man who could rule. Where Razia failed, Rudrama succeeded in gaining legal recognition of her role as king. However, their successful and stable reign proves that “king” did not have to be a gendered role.
The performance of power and masculinity expected of women
While women like Razia Sultan or Rudrama Devi had to show their masculinity to gain power centuries ago, similar expectations still exist for women today. But why do we think it is effective to adopt male signifiers? Maybe because we have internalized the idea that masculinity is a prerequisite for successfully handling power.
Razia and Rudrama did not dress in men’s clothes or style themselves with masculine titles because they wanted to be men; They did this because the world does not accept powerful women. Ultimately, the story reveals a truth: the only thing fragile about women’s leadership was the ego of the men who witnessed its creation.
