Defying gender norms: The roles and impact of Urdubegis and Khwajasaras in the Mughal Empire
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71085/rjhsa.04.03.128Keywords:
Urdubegis, Khwajasaras, Mughal Empire, Gender Stereotypes, Zenana, Non-binary Roles, Higher EducationAbstract
This research explores the role of Gender Norms: The Roles and Impact of Urdubegis and Khwajasaras in the Mughal Empire that the Mughal Empire (early 16th to mid-18th century) was a patriarchal society of Mughal India. One such group that challenged these conventions were the urdubegis, elite female warriors assigned to guard the zenana and the emperor which were hitherto under-studied. This paper attempts to fill in the gap regarding the understanding of the urdubegis roles, training, and socio-political importance, as well as the ways in which they interacted with the Khwajasaras, non-binary court officials, and influenced the gender dynamics. The study aims to investigate why these groups challenged stereotypes, played a role in the stability of the Mughal empire, and how they maneuverer around power in the Mughal court. The study is qualitative and historical-comparative and deals with the primary sources such as The Akbar-Nama and Humayun-Nama, and secondary sources such as the works of Rukhsana Iftikhar and Lubna Irfan. Thematic analysis emphasizes on security, administration, and cultural contribution, while Gender Empowerment and Gender Stereotype Theories are used as the bases on the agency of urdubegis and Khwajasaras. It is important to address because it sheds light on the marginalized groups and their role in the governance of the Mughals and it develop criticism on the Eurocentric history of the zenana, and its comparative research across Islamic empires.
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