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    My favorite artworks from European Museums

    My favorite artworks from European Museums

    Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

    Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

    Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

    Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

    Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

    Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

    Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

    Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

    The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

    The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

    Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

    Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

    Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

    Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

    St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

    St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

    Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

    Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

    Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

    Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

    The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

    The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

    The Dohany Street synagogue in Budapest

    St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

    St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

    The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

    The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

    Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

    Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

    Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

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      My favorite artworks from European Museums

      My favorite artworks from European Museums

      Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

      Gandhara Art in Humboldt Forum: Life of Lord Buddha

      Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

      Jewish Heroes Square in Krakow, Poland

      Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

      Block no. 4 in Auschwitz concentration camp

      Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

      Ottoman tent in Princess Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, Poland

      The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

      The Steam Engine Building, Potsdam, Germany

      Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

      Assyrian human-headed winged bull from Nimrud; 9th cent. BCE; Pergamon Museum, Berlin

      Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

      Catacombs in St Peter’s Abbey Salzburg, Austria

      St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

      St Nicholas Church in #Leipzeg, #Germany

      Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

      Gloriette, Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna,Austria

      Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

      Matthias Church on Buda Castle Hill, Budapest

      The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

      The Neptune fountain in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria

      The Dohany Street synagogue in Budapest

      St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

      St Peter’s Abbey Church in Salzburg, Austria

      The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

      The Residence Fountain in Salzburg: Oundof Music

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Sultana Daku and Raj Bhawan of Nainital

      Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

      Jahan koshan cannon, Murshidabad

      Takht-e Marar, Golestan Palance, Teheran, Iran

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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.