Do Tawaifs Still Exist?

Today, the darbars no longer exist; neither do the tawaifs. However, a century later, celebrated artistes — Manjari Chaturvedi, Fouzia Dastango and Neesha Singh — are reviving their tales and changing their narrative.

What do tawaif do?

A tawaif was a highly successful entertainer who catered to the nobility of the Indian subcontinent, particularly during the Mughal era. The tawaifs excelled in and contributed to music, dance (mujra), theatre, and the Urdu literary tradition, and were considered an authority on etiquette.

What are Kothas in India?

Courtesans like Azizan 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.