Gender fluidity in the Mughal Empire
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Gender fluid and transgender people (most significantly the Khwajasira/ hijra community) held positions of differing importance under the Mughal Empire (1526–1857). With a prominent position in Indian mythology as a "third gender/race", gender fluidity was not a new concept in the region, with Hindu, Buddhist and Jain texts referring to it during the Vedic period. Though the Mughals brought new understandings of gender and sexuality with Islam, they continued to hold important administrative roles in the court. Cross-dressed persons are reported to have acted as bodyguards and porters for royalty, and many members of the Khwajasira community served in the Mughal court as political assistants, administration officers, guards, and stewards of harems.[1] However, their influential position in society ended after the establishment of British Raj in India. From this point on, they were excluded from society, subject to abuse and discrimination and considered a "breach of public decency". [2] This marginalised position has continued into the modern day states of Republic of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, where their rights, recognition and legal protection is a subject of constant debate.
Gender fluidity included sexual fluidity as well. Even though the use of terms like bisexuality or homosexuality may not be appropriate to describe pre-modern sexuality, it was completely normal for older men to have loving feelings towards younger men.[3] While the act of homosexuality may have been looked down upon, many high-ranked people in the Mughal times were somehow involved in it. While King Babur talks openly about his love for a camp boy leading to his spiritual madness without any sexual contact with the boy, his simultaneous censuring of sexual relations between some Timurid princes and certain youths is well known.[4] Moreover, Babur's uncle and father-in-law Mahmud Mirza was openly known for his sexual predation towards young men. He kept many catamites in his realm and did everything he could to make every comely and beardless man turn into his catamite.[5]
Other gender fluid nobles[edit]
Shah Quli Khan[edit]
In the 16th century, Shah Quli Khan was a member of the Mughal Empire's ruling elite. Shah Quli was a protégé of Bairam Khan when he was a young man. Bairam Khan was a great noble who presided as Akbar the Great's early regent of the Mughal Empire. Due to his relationship with Bairam Khan, Quli was able to gain a lot of favour with the Mughal court. He rose to a mansab rank of 5,000 after the death of Bairam Khan. The Mughals and the Sur Empire fought a number of conflicts in the 1550s. Shah Quli Khan served as a standout soldier while serving with the Mughal army throughout the battle. Hemu, the leader of the Sur army, was engaged in combat with Shah Quli at the crucial Second Battle of Panipat in 1556 and suffered injuries. The Mughal empire won the conflict handily, and Emperor Akbar praised Shah Quli for his contribution to the triumph by bestowing upon him money, titles, and territory.
Most notably, Akbar granted Shah-Quli Khan access to his harem after he became a eunuch.[6] This is where Shah-Quli Khan began to be referred to as Mahram. Even though this seems like a remarkable accomplishment, there are precedents for it from earlier courts. It would have been spectacular to forgo sexual gratification to show the emperor how devoted you are to him. The ability for such a person to now approach the emperor's most private side may foster feelings of intimacy and closeness. [7] Eunuchs benefited from prestige as a result of the trust placed in them and significant power as a result of carrying out orders, which was permitted to the point where it became ruthless and cruel in execution. Many instances of their mistreatment have been documented, allowing generalisations about the cruelty inherent in their nature. Akbar was said to have had a long-standing animus towards homosexual attachments. During Bairam Khan's reign, a child named Qabul Khan who had a gift for dancing had won the attention of Shah Quli Khan. But Akbar disapproved of this conduct in his servants and forbade it. Shah Quli was unable to stop his practice, therefore it was decided to take the youngster away from him and turn him over to guards. Due to the weight of humanity, Shah Quli Khan succumbed to despair and destroyed his reputation and name. He dressed like a jogi and started looking for retirement. Bairam Khan sought to correct him while also comforting him with an ode. He repented for what he had done, returned to the Shahinshah, and was showered with favors at every turn.[8]
Shah Quli Khan was designated as the Mughal governor of Narnaul in the 1570s. Shah Quli started a significant building programme across the territory as governor. Building a tomb for himself was his first significant endeavor. Built between 1774 and 1775, the tomb has been praised as a superb example of Mughal architecture. The tomb, which was a part of Shah Quli's official estate, had a planned garden. Shah Quli Khan, who was renowned for his generosity, left a large portion of his wealth to his courtiers after his death. It has been suggested that this donation was made in order to get around the Mughal empire's inheritance laws. He lacked inheritors. In the Shah Quli Khan's Tomb, he was laid to rest.[10]
Mihtar Khan Khassa-khail[edit]
Mihtar Khan belonged to the Kara-Manikpur tribe and was taken captive by the Mughals. He was widely trusted and thus was appointed as the guard of the harem of Emperor Akbar. From that he first rose to the rank of an amir and later as the mansab of 3000 people and horse. Due to his simplicity and honesty, the emperor kept him close and was highly respected in the court. The mughals regarded Khwajasira an elevated place and made them their trusted servants. This is supported by the position he held as the gatekeeper of harem. He was allowed to dress the way he wanted and whatever he liked to associate with himself during Akbar's reign. He also served in the army of the mughals on several battlefields like the Battle of Haldighati where he didn't let the army's morale die and motivated them to win. He was majorly in charge of the rare side of the army to keep a close eye on any attack from behind. Mihtar khan would show favors to his own people of kayasth community. [11] Despite the popular belief that Khwajasira are not manly or brave, Mihtar Khan proved these beliefs and opinions as wrong and was not devoid of any bravery.
References[edit]
- ↑ Shukla, Rohit (2020). "HISTORY OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE AND THEIR STRUGGLE IN INDIAN SOCIETY".
- ↑ Konduru, Delliswararao; Hangsing, Chongneikim (2018-01-20). "Socio–Cultural Exclusion and Inclusion of Trans-genders in India". International Journal of Social Sciences and Management. 5 (1): 10–17. doi:10.3126/ijssm.v5i1.18147. ISSN 2091-2986.
- ↑ ANOOSHAHR, ALI (July 2008). "The King who would be Man: the Gender Roles of the Warrior King in Early Mughal History". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. 18 (3): 327–340. doi:10.1017/s1356186308008547. ISSN 1356-1863. Unknown parameter
|s2cid=ignored (help) - ↑ O'HANLON, ROSALIND (2007-01-11). "Kingdom, Household and Body History, Gender and Imperial Service under Akbar". Modern Asian Studies. 41 (5): 889. doi:10.1017/s0026749x06002654. ISSN 0026-749X. Unknown parameter
|s2cid=ignored (help) - ↑ ANOOSHAHR, ALI (July 2008). "The King who would be Man: the Gender Roles of the Warrior King in Early Mughal History". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. 18 (3): 327–340. doi:10.1017/s1356186308008547. ISSN 1356-1863. Unknown parameter
|s2cid=ignored (help) - ↑ Bhakkari, Shaikh Farid (1993). The Dhakhirat Ul-khawanin of Shaikh Farid Bhakkari: A Biographical Dictionary of Mughal Noblemen. Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli. Search this book on
- ↑ Raghuwanshi, Arpita. "Eunuchs in Mughal Establishment".
- ↑ "02_19_namah". www.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
- ↑ STUDIES, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF INDIAN (2007-08-09), English: Tomb of Shah Quli Khan in Narnaul, retrieved 2023-04-07
- ↑ "Shah Quli Khan (governor)", Wikipedia, 2022-06-17, retrieved 2023-04-07
- ↑ Bhakkari, Shaikh Farid (1993). The Dhakhirat Ul-khawanin of Shaikh Farid Bhakkari: A Biographical Dictionary of Mughal Noblemen. Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli. Search this book on
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