Queen Yasovati: A Descriptive Study on her Leadership in the Kingdom of Kashmir

Abstract

The contribution that Queen Yasovati made to the establishment of women's rule in Kashmir is the subject of this study. In Kashmir, women have traditionally enjoyed a standing that is more equal to that of men than in other parts of the world; as a result, four of them have risen to prominence as notable rulers. In Kalhana's Rajatarngini, three wellknown female rulers are discussed: “Yasovati of the Gonda dynasty, Sugandha (904-906 AD) of the Utpala dynasty, and Didda (980-1003 AD) of the Lohara dynasty.” Yasovati belonged to the Gonda dynasty, while Sugandha and Didda both ruled over the Utpala Kota Rani was the fourth queen to rule Kashmir, and she was also the last queen to do so. But the first queen monarch of Kashmir, Yasovati, who formalised the rule of women in Kashmir and built the framework for it, has been forgotten by historians throughout history. This queen deserves to be remembered since she played an important and active role in the history of Kashmir; however, her accomplishments as a woman in a position of power were not given any consideration at the time.