Tawaif- a term that is often misunderstood

Ishita

Tawaif- a term that is often misunderstood

Tawaif- is a word that comes with many meanings the moment we hear it. The meaning is rather derogatory; however, in medieval times, Tawaifs were not what we think of them today.

Tawaifs of Shahjahanabad, source: Livehistory

Tawaifs in medieval times were women of culture. They were known for their adaab (manners) and Tehzeeb (refinement). Mastered in the skill of dancing, daughters from the wealthy households were sent to Tawaifs to learn the art of delicacy.

When a Tawaif would ride a tonga (horse cart), it is believed that people would come out on the street to look at her. This is how famous a Tawaif was. She used to enjoy a celebrity status indeed!

Francois Bernier, a French Physician, who had travelled to India, also mentioned Tawaifs in his accounts, calling them kenchens. In his memoir Travels in the Mughal Empire, AD 1656-1668, Bernier also says how regular Tawaifs were to be seen in Shah Jahan’s court. He writes"

“They were not indeed the prostitutes seen in the bazaars, but those of a more private and respectable class…Most of these Kenchens are handsome and well dressed and sing to perfection; and their limbs being extremely supple, they dance with wonderful agility, and are always correct in regard to time.”

The lanes of Old Delhi were where Tawaifs had settled. The road that runs straight from Chawri Bazar Metro Station has one of the living examples of the stature of a Tawaif. The Mubarak Begum Mosque.

Mubarak Begum was a Tawaif of Shahjahanabad. David Ochterlony, also the first resident of Delhi, was her regular visitor and eventually married her. With the power of her beauty, Mubarak Begum continued to live a lavish lifestyle even as she grew old. Eventually, she had her husband commission a mosque for her after her name. Though the mosque today has a plaque that reads in bold Mubarak Begum Masjid, it is still known as Randi Ki Masjid in colloquial language.

Rana Dil was also a Tawaif who had gained an important status in the Mughal household for a limited time. She was married to Dara Shukoh. However, after Aurangzeb’s war of succession, Rana Dil lost her power. But this instance should not be confused with her helplessness; it was a voluntary decision. It is said that Aurangzeb had wished to give her a place in his zenana (a place in the Haveli for women). Rana Dil, who was still in love with Dara Shukoh, unable to forgive Aurangzeb, denied the proposal. She did not lose her ground and never let money win her self-esteem.

When Aurangzeb had complimented her hair, she chopped them off. She took a knife when he praised her beauty and disfigured her face. The knife covered in her blood was sent back to him. When Dara Shukoh was paraded on an elephant, it is said that he had encountered a bald faqir who had disfigured face. Dara could instantly recognize his love. After Dara’s execution, it is believed that a bald figure too sat on a funeral pyre near the banks of Yamuna.

The stories thus are instances of how powerful and proud Tawaifs were of their status.

However, just like any society, even they had hierarchies. At the lowest were the ones who offered sex. With the advent of the British, this hierarchy was confused. They categorized all of them as nautch girls (dancing girl, the term nautch is derived from the word naach, which means dance). This confusion blurred the hierarchies between those who performed and those who offered sex.

The British were also able to marry these women by offering a significant amount. However, they never received the status of wives, always remained nautch girls, and were treated as mistresses. Thus, with time the status of Tawaifs deteriorated and has become equivalent to prostitutes as we perceive them today.

The lane of Tawaifs also earned a poetic name, known as the Bazar-e-Husn, which translates to the market of beauty. Tawaifs were, therefore, an asset to the royalty. Unlike what we perceive today, Tawaifs were skilled dancers who would perform at their kothas. Their mornings were spent in Riyaz, practicing singing and music. As the sun set, they started to get ready, grooming, wearing long skirts or Anarkali, and hugging trousers or churi-daar. The frills of Anarkali allowed the dancer to look beautiful as she spun. The Tawaif would also be heavily dressed with ornaments. She, therefore, enjoyed a lavish lifestyle.