Celebrating iranian women: Mahsati Ganjavi

Mahsati Ganjavi was a world renowned 12th century Persian poet. Not much is known about her life, except that she was born in Ganja in Aran in today’s Republic of Azerbaijan and that she was highly esteemed at the court of Sultan Sanjar of the Seljuk dynasty.

​We also know that she spent important periods of her life in Balkh, Marv, Nishapur, Herat and Marva and that she associated with the great poets of her time, Omar Khayyam and Nizami.

Her free way of living and verses have stamped her as a Persian Madame Sans-Gene and her love affairs are recounted in the works of Jauhari of Bukhara.

Her courageous poetry reflected women’s dreams of freedom and equality. Her poetry condemned religious obscurantism, fanaticism and dogma for which she was eventually persecuted.

She organized literature circles for women to help them learn and work together.

She was considered second best only to Omar Khayyam in her mastery of quatrain. The most complete collection can be found in the book of Nozhat al-Majales. Her unsurpassed talent and free-thinking for her time, gave rise to many myths and legends.

The 900th anniversary of her work was celebrated by UNESCO in 2013, and in 2016, a monument was unveiled in her name in the French city of Cognac.

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Sources:

• "Mahsati." Wikipedia (English & Farsi)
• J. Rypka. "History of Iranian Literature." University of Leyden