Photographer: | Rights management: Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike 4.0 International
Somewhat blurred shot of a group of dancers or presumably courtesans on the terrace of their kota (brothel), almost all the women wear a tilak sign on their foreheads (Hindus), the women on the stairs sit with their legs apart, they radiate a certain self-confidence, the boy holding the hand of one woman is very blurred and hardly stands out due to his white clothing against the white wall. Shots of women in public spaces are very rare, especially of courtesans, as their profession was/is frowned upon; courtesans teach young, noble men etiquette, the art of entertainment, poetry and also the arts of love, they actively shaped Hindustani music and Kathak dance; courtesans were allowed to read, write and own land; - in 188 there was a large-scale anti-nautch campaign by Europeanised Indians who did not want to be associated with such customs - tax books 1858-77: Courtesans had largest income and extensive land holdings (highest income tax) -Prostitution Act 1864: women's bodies were regularly checked and inspected to curb venereal diseases in British soldiers -British did not ban devadas (temple dance) as it formed part of Hindu religion (Dharma Shastra)
