In the tapestry of Indian history, the courtesans, often referred to as tawaifs, stand as guardians of a legacy that transcends mere entertainment. Their influence permeated not only the cultural sphere, but also left an indelible mark on design, fashion, and traditional crafts, between 500 BCE and the 20th century. During the research for my book Courting Hindustan: The Consuming Passions of Iconic Women Performers of India, I developed a profound understanding of the unique position they occupied in society.
I discovered that the courtesans of the Mughal courts were often adorned in the finest Indian textiles: rich silks, intricately woven brocades, and vibrant handloom saris. They would showcase these textiles during cultural gatherings, festivals and royal events, attracting the attention of nobles and royalty. To perform in, they favoured jamdani adorned with floral motifs, geometric patterns, and intricate borders, or Dhaka muslin, both of which allowed for graceful ease of movement.
Begum Samru, the ruler of the kingdom of Sardhana in the 18th century — who began her career as a ‘nautch girl’ — occupies a chapter in Courting Hindustan. Petite and slender, she appeared in public draped in brocades woven with elaborate patterns in gold or silver threads. A keen statesman, she cannily adopted the language and religious customs of the dominant European forces, mainly the British. However, she often used traditional Mughal clothing to signal her proximity to the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II. So, while she wore her pashmina with pride, she also ordered chintz, the glazed cotton fabric imported from India and favoured by the British.
