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Vijayanagar (1336–1646 AD) was one of the greatest Hindu empires of India. When N.India was enslaved by Islamic savagery, Vijayanagar followed Hindu tradition to empower women with education, property rights, & financial/administrative control.
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@ShefVaidya
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Inscriptions, historical texts & foreign traveler's accounts describe the women of Vijayanagar as possessing property & financial independence. Many donated property to worthy causes such as temple improvements, civil works & welfare schemes. Others volunteered their services.
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Women were educated from a young age to become literate in Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, etc.. The great king Krishnadevaraya himself patronized several female writers and poets & encouraged centers of learning. Women authors wrote timeless Kavyas & literature during this era
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Young girls were also taught music, dance & painting. This education proved invaluable in preserving & furthering the classical Hindu arts. Auditoriums were designed for female musicians & dancers to practice. Temple dancers were showered with wealth & highly respected.
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Women’s education was not limited to the arts; many served as accountants, astronomers, astrologers & chefs. There were female judges, bailiffs, & guards employed for state services. Their power can be gauged by the fact that women also held administrative control.
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Women even performed physical, labor-intensive jobs such as carrying luggage, working in the fields, guarding the royal offices & washing laundry. Women warriors were also trained in military arts such as wrestling, sword play, archery, riding elephants & horses.
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Festivals & events such as Shakti Yatra, Vijayadashami celebrated the power of women. Women of all castes & tribes participated in these festivals. The capital Hampi was named after goddess Parvati, as a timeless testament to Vijayanagar's reverence for the feminine divine.
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Foreign travelers described Vijayanagar’s women as elaborately dressed with rich jewelry, hairstyles & accessories, showing prosperity across all classes. Their safety was guaranteed by strictly enforced laws, as criminals who molested women were given stringent punishment
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While India reeled under the savagery of Islamic onslaughts, Vijayanagar upheld the Hindu tradition of elevating women. The freedom to learn, work, create & earn empowered women to contribute in making Vijayanagar one of the most prosperous & progressive societies in the world
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References:
The Vijayanagar Empire: Chronicles of Paes & Nuniz
Women in Vijayanagar- Sri Lakshmi Katragadda
Economic Life in the Vijayanagara Empire- T.V. Mahalingam
A Forgotten Empire( Vijayanagara)- Robert Sewell
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