Day 18 – Q 5.Respecting women is an important human value. In fact, women have been given a prominent place in the literary creations of many medieval poets. The poets have given high regard to women and acknowledged their contribution in making the home, the society and the country a better place. Elaborate.

5. Respecting women is an important human value. In fact, women have been given a prominent place in the literary creations of many medieval poets. The poets have given high regard to women and acknowledged their contribution in making the home, the society and the country a better place. Elaborate.  

महिलाओं का सम्मान करना एक महत्वपूर्ण मानवीय मूल्य है। वास्तव में, कई मध्यकालीन कवियों की साहित्यिक रचनाओं में महिलाओं को प्रमुख स्थान दिया गया है। कवियों ने महिलाओं को उच्च सम्मान दिया है और घर, समाज और देश को एक बेहतर स्थान बनाने में उनके योगदान को स्वीकार किया है। विस्तृत करें।

Introduction:

Swami Vivekananda says, “Countries and Nations which do not respect women have never become great nor will ever be in future” In recent times in the societies equality of status has been assigned to women, but it is often legal than existential. Respecting women cannot be a rule, but surely it can be a responsibility.

Body

• Human values are the virtues that guide us to take into account the human element when we interact with other human beings. Human values are, for example, respect, acceptance, consideration, appreciation, listening, openness, affection, empathy and love towards other human beings. Women are human being and thus they deserve respect just like any other human being.
• During medieval time, Indian subcontinent was under the rule of Rajputs, Palas, Rashtrakuts, Cholas, Chalukyas, and others and later Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagar empire, Mughals etc.
• From the available evidence from Amir Khusrau’s Matla-ul- Anwar, Hasht Bihisht, Nuh Siphir and Ijaz-i- Khusravi, Ibn Battuta’s Rehla and Tarikh-i- Firozshahi of Barani etc. Women had an important role in the social and cultural life of a country. 

Unfortunately, a little about the role of women during the Sultanate period is known and that too in fragments.

• Islam raised the status of women in the society, at least legally as high as that of men.
• Several verses of the Quran emphasize alike the dignity of man and woman in the society, and both are equal in the eyes of God and equally rewarded for their good deeds. Consequently, Muslimwomen were able to exercise their skills and talents in different fields- social, economic, educational and cultural, during the time of the Prophet and early Caliphs.
• Ibn Battuta has left us an interesting account of how the Queens of the Great Khan of the golden horde held court and received visitors.
• Polygamy was widely practiced, especially by the members of noble and aristocratic families, but very often the co wives lived amicably together like sisters, sharing in the joys and sorrows of one another.
• A Hindu women was expected to be an obedient daughter, faithful wife and devoted mother. Marriage was the single important event in her life and it took place soon after puberty. Child marriage was the norm.
• Though she acted as house wife and confined into her inner circles of the house, yet she was consulted on some important family matters.
• During Bhakti movement Lal Ded (1320-1384), the Muslim poetess from Kashmir Lal Ded & Habba Khatun, represented the Sant tradition of Bhakti and wrote Vakhs (maxims), which are peerless gems of spiritual experience. Meera Bai, in Gujarati, Rajasthani and Hindi (she wrote in three languages), Avvayyar, in Tamil, and Akkamahadevi in Kannada, are well known for their sheer lyrical intensity and concentrated emotional appeal. Their writings speak about the social conditions prevailing at that time, and the position of woman at home and in society.

Conclusion

It is often said that the inherent strength of a society, a culture and a system is judged by the way its women are treated and the role assigned to them by the society. The great socio-religious revolutionary saint, Swami Vivekananda stated that, the country which had no respect for woman-hood could never become great.