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A tawaif (طوائف) also Kanjri or Kanjari was a courtesan who catered to the nobility of India, particularly during the era of the Mughal Empire. The tawaifs excelled and contributed to music, dance (mujra), theatre, film, and the Urdu literary tradition, were considered an authority on etiquette. Tawaifs were the influential female elite, were largely a North Indian institution that became prominent during the weakening of the Mughal rule in the mid-18th century. They were part of the feudal society of Northern India. ==History== The patronage of the Mughal court before and after the Mughal Dynasty in the Doab region and the artistic atmosphere of 16th century Lucknow made arts-related careers a viable prospect. As well as the demand for (mostly) male music and dance teachers, many girls were taken at a young age and trained in both performing arts (such as Kathak and Hindustani classical music) as well as literature (ghazal, thumri) to high standards. Once they had matured and possessed a sufficient command over dancing and singing, they became a ''tawaif'', high-class courtesans who served the rich and the nobility. The ''tawaif's'' introduction into her profession was marked by a celebration, the so-called ''missī'' ceremony, that customarily included the inaugural blackening of her teeth.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Zumbroich, Thomas J. (2015) 'The missī-stained finger-tip of the fair’: A cultural history of teeth and gum blackening in South Asia. eJournal of Indian Medicine 8(1): 1-32 )〕 It is also believed that young nawabs-to-be were sent to these "tawaifs" to learn "tameez" and "tehzeeb" which included the ability to differentiate and appreciate good music and literature, perhaps even practice it, especially the art of ghazal writing. By the 18th century they had become the central element of polite, refined culture in North India. These courtesans would dance, sing (especially ghazals), recite poetry (shairi) and entertain their suitors at mehfils. Like the geisha tradition in Japan, their main purpose was to professionally entertain their guests, and while sex was often incidental, it was not assured contractually. High-class or the most popular tawaifs could often pick and choose among the best of their suitors. Some of the popular tawaifs were Begum Samru - who rose to rule principality of Sardhana in western UP, Moran Sarkar - who became wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Wazeeran - Prot of Lucknow’s last nawab, Wajid Ali Shah, Umrao Jaan Ada, and Gauhar Jaan. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「tawaif」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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