Dewan, Saba
Tawaifnama
- ISBN 13:
- 9789395073592
- author:
- Dewan, Saba
- format:
- Paperback
- publisher:
- Westland Publications Limited
- language:
- English
- Publication Year:
- 2022
- Pages:
- 138
- Dimensions:
- 4.1 x 23.6 x 23.6 centimetres (0
- Genre:
- Nonfiction, Social Sciences, Anthropology,
- Condition:
- New
- Availability:
- Item usually sent within 5 working days
Description
Dharmman Bibi rode into battle alongside her patron lover Babu Kunwar Singh during the revolt of 1857. Her music entranced even snakes and spirits, but she eventually gave her voice to Baba Court Shaheed. This is a history of one family of well-known tawaifs with roots in Banaras and Bhabua, spanning generations. Through their stories and self-histories, Saba Dewi explores the nuances that conventional narratives have erased or reworked. The art practice of tawaifs played a crucial role in shaping kathak and the purab ang thumri singing of Banaras. Yet, despite their cultural refinement and literary grounding, tawaifs were marked by the stigma of being women in the public gaze. This book is a multi-generational chronicle that sheds light on the lives of these fascinating women, challenging the erasures and distortions of their stories.