Women account for half the world s population and hence it is imperative that we hear their perspective and their depiction. This book deals with their depiction in the Sultante Period in Medieval India. Women in the Sultanate Period(1206-1388 AD)participated in the political process inspite of the prevalent purdah(veil)system. The reign of Raziya Sultan the first female Muslim ruler of South Asia bears testimony to it, moreover it is an interesting read to know the reaction of the Muslim Jurists, nobility, royal harem and the people of the Imperial Capital(Delhi). Pictures are worth a thousand words, Paintings of the Sultanate Period with respect to the women folk convey their social status, customs, habit and culture in an illustrated form and finally the book deals with the role of women in the realm of religion and social institutions. In 2000 AD world leaders signed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) among the eight MDGs they included gender equality and women s empowerment, the issues more or less remain the same. There is plenty of evidence in contemporary literature to show that countries with a higher status of women also enjoy enhanced level of social and economic performance.
