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    Mausoleum of Shad-e (or Shadi) Mulk Aga in Shah e Zinda, Samarqand

    Mausoleum of Mahmud Pahlavon in Khiva, Uzbekistan

    The tomb of Baba Rukn al-Din Shirazi, Takht-i Fulad, Isfahan, Iran

    The Summer Mosque of the Arc in Khiva, Uzbekistan

    Shrine of Sheikh Zainuddin Bobo in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

    The Madrasas ( educational institutions) of Ulugh Beg

    The Madrasas ( educational institutions) of Ulugh Beg

    Dargah of Sheikh Raju Qattal in Khuldabad, Maharashtra

    Dargah of Sheikh Raju Qattal in Khuldabad, Maharashtra

    AkshayVat in Allahabad/ Prayagraj

    AkshayVat in Allahabad/ Prayagraj

    Helical stepwell in Pavagadh area of Gujarat

    Islam Khoja ensemble in Khiva,Uzbekistan

    Mysore Silk and Tipu Sultan

    Mysore Silk and Tipu Sultan

    Lord Buddha statue in Chandigarh Museum

    Akbar’s Inscription in The Ranakpur Jain Temple

    Neelkanth Temple in Kumbhalgarh

    Neelkanth Temple in Kumbhalgarh

    Vijai Stambh in Chittorgarh Fort

    The importance of River Yamuna in Vrindavan

    The importance of River Yamuna in Vrindavan

    Tajuddin Baba of Nagpur or Shahenshah-e Haft-e Aqleem Hazrat Baba Tajuddin

    Tajuddin Baba of Nagpur or Shahenshah-e Haft-e Aqleem Hazrat Baba Tajuddin

    Shri Niwas or the House of Mirrors in Jaipur’s City Palace

    Shri Niwas or the House of Mirrors in Jaipur’s City Palace

    Kanishka statue in Mathura museum

    Kanishka statue in Mathura museum

    Shahji ka Mandir, Vrindavan

    Shahji ka Mandir, Vrindavan

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      Mausoleum of Shad-e (or Shadi) Mulk Aga in Shah e Zinda, Samarqand

      Mausoleum of Mahmud Pahlavon in Khiva, Uzbekistan

      The tomb of Baba Rukn al-Din Shirazi, Takht-i Fulad, Isfahan, Iran

      The Summer Mosque of the Arc in Khiva, Uzbekistan

      Shrine of Sheikh Zainuddin Bobo in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

      The Madrasas ( educational institutions) of Ulugh Beg

      The Madrasas ( educational institutions) of Ulugh Beg

      Dargah of Sheikh Raju Qattal in Khuldabad, Maharashtra

      Dargah of Sheikh Raju Qattal in Khuldabad, Maharashtra

      AkshayVat in Allahabad/ Prayagraj

      AkshayVat in Allahabad/ Prayagraj

      Helical stepwell in Pavagadh area of Gujarat

      Islam Khoja ensemble in Khiva,Uzbekistan

      Mysore Silk and Tipu Sultan

      Mysore Silk and Tipu Sultan

      Lord Buddha statue in Chandigarh Museum

      Akbar’s Inscription in The Ranakpur Jain Temple

      Neelkanth Temple in Kumbhalgarh

      Neelkanth Temple in Kumbhalgarh

      Vijai Stambh in Chittorgarh Fort

      The importance of River Yamuna in Vrindavan

      The importance of River Yamuna in Vrindavan

      Tajuddin Baba of Nagpur or Shahenshah-e Haft-e Aqleem Hazrat Baba Tajuddin

      Tajuddin Baba of Nagpur or Shahenshah-e Haft-e Aqleem Hazrat Baba Tajuddin

      Shri Niwas or the House of Mirrors in Jaipur’s City Palace

      Shri Niwas or the House of Mirrors in Jaipur’s City Palace

      Kanishka statue in Mathura museum

      Kanishka statue in Mathura museum

      Shahji ka Mandir, Vrindavan

      Shahji ka Mandir, Vrindavan

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      A courtesan with her maid on a terrace, ca 1830 Delhi

      inOur Cultural Heritage
      0

      First a bit about courtesans/ tawaif.

      The word tawaif comes from “taifa”, which means Nocturnal rounds or patrols’; a people, tribe, troop, company, body, band, gang; a company of dancing girls and musicians; — a caravan; — suit, equipage.

      It was a term of respect back then not derision.
      There were three major categories of tawaif: kanchani/ kanjari , and derawali .
      Kanjari / kanchani are mentioned in Ain e Akbari were singers.
      The name “kanchani” or gilded was given to the the accomplished singers and dancers.

      A derawali tawaif would be someone who identified with an establishment, that is, had a pedigree, while a kanchani was a standalone.

      Interestingly, derawali tawaifs did not need to employ pimps as it was their singing and dancing skills which brought them rich, noble and knowledgable clients and not the riff-raff that could be solicited off the streets..

      They were very rich and powerful and actively participated in the Uprising of 1857. Courtesans like Azizan Bai who sided with Nana Sahib in 1857, allowed their salons known as balakhana or kothas (because they were on the first floor with ground floor being shops) to be used as meeting places for the “rebel sepoys” and helped pass on messages. They spied on their British clients, encouraging them to talk and relayed information to the sepoys.

      When the British were punishing the perpetrators of the uprising, the might of their wrath also fell on the courtesans. It was then that they discovered that the courtesans were in the highest income brackets, owning huge properties and enjoying an elevated status in society.

      An interesting point to remember about the courtesans of that era is that they were not just repositories of art and culture, but independent women. Men were dependent on them and not the other way round. They employed male musicians, music and dance teachers, had male clients and even pimps who were employed by them to bring business.


      Clothes & jewellery

      Clothes:
      She’s wearing kalidar pyjamas ( today’s palazzos) and a angiya ( bodice) with a sheer dupatta.
      She would wear a heavier dupatta if in company
      And a peshwaz ( dress) over this in public.
      The pyjamas have gota/ kinari border.
      Ecen today we wear the same style called palazzos.

      The angiya has given way to other inner wear such as bras.

      Jewellery :
      She us wearing a chand Tara locket worn lose over her stomach. If you look carefully the beads indicate it should have been worn tightly around the neck and below the choker.

      She’s wearing a jhoomar in the middle of her forehead without a tee ka.
      Normally jhoomar and reeks are worn together.
      As per my aunts a tawaif wore a jhoomar on the right side while family women wore it on their left side.
      She’s wearing bazubands on her forearms and bangles and kadas.
      Have not been able to see clearly what’s on her ears but it should be a Karan Phool.
      Upturned kaf e paa on her feet.
      She is a smoking a huqqah and a peekdan / ugaldan or spittoon is kept by. Spittoon used by pan users.


      Now let’s talk of the attendant
      She’s very similarly dressed to her mistress but her bosom is covered by a cotton dupatta.
      She’s wearing beautiful chand balis in her ears.
      And has probably come to freshen the coals in the chillum of the huqqah.

      Her jootiyan are swag!

      #traditionalwear #traditionaljewellery #indianjewellery

      #courtesans #tawaif #singers #dancers

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      Rana Safvi

      Come, explore and fall in love the Beauties of Delhi (Dilli ki Ranaiya’n) and the World with me, Rana Safvi

      I have a masters in medieval history from the prestigious Centre for Advanced Studies, Dept. of History, AMU. A firm believer in our Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb, I am passionate about gaining and sharing knowledge and these days I am doing it via the social media platform.

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      © 2018 Rana Safvi - A blog Exploring Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb of India, website handcrafted by Abu Sufiyan.