Gender Dynamics in the Mushā‘ira Culture of Amroha
Anam Siddiqui
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16526884
Abstract. This study explores the participation of women poets in mushā‘ira of Amroha by analysing gendered spaces within this traditionally male dominated Urdu poetic space by focusing on how deeply embedded patriarchal norms shape participation and recognition of women. The study reveals that the literary society in Amroha discourages women from actively participating, particularly in public recitations, by reinforcing gendered expectations and subtle exclusion to retain the position of incumbent as suggested by Bourdie in his cultural capital. Using qualitative methodology, this research draws from personal narratives collected from both male and female poets of the city in addition to the observation of the settings of mushā‘ira. Textual analysis in addition to narrative analysis is also used as per the relevance to substantiate the cultural and historical facts. The demographic diversity of the narratives helps uncover varied perspectives and highlight the shifts within the literary culture. Ultimately, the paper argues that gender politics within the mushā‘ira culture of Amroha reflects societal constraints on women’s cultural agency.
Keywords. Mushā‘ira, Amroha, women poets, Urdu poets, poetic space, male domination, cultural currency.
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Gender Dynamics in the Mushā‘ira Culture of Amroha © 2025 by Anam Siddiqui is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
