by Police - Bureau of Police Research and Development
by Police - Bureau of Police Research and Development
by Police - Bureau of Police Research and Development
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The Indian <strong>Police</strong> JournalThe word 'dasi' was also used in Arthasastra at a few places to meana prostitute <strong>of</strong> a lower grade. 126 <strong>and</strong> they were allowed to be used asspies. Besides them Devadasi as temple prostitute 127 <strong>and</strong> further statedthat they had ceased to attend the temple on service (uparatopasthana)they had to be employed, similarly as widows (vidha), crippledwomen (vanyanga), girls (kanya; probably the girls <strong>of</strong> those to whomthe King had to give maintenance, possibly young daughters <strong>of</strong>ganika), mendicant or ascetic women (pravrajita), women compelledd<strong>and</strong>apratikarini) <strong>and</strong> procuresses(rupajivamatika, or more likely ganikamatrka).Kautilya has also used the term 'silpakarika'. 128 That is a workingwoman, a workman’s wife, <strong>and</strong> a Kausikastri 129 a woman, good forsexual intercourse in the sense <strong>of</strong> inferior kinds <strong>of</strong> prostitutes; theycould be used as spies as well. Kausika (Kaisika) was good for sexuallove (sexual intercourse). Again, the words 'duhitrka' 130 , a daughter <strong>and</strong>'kumari' 131 , a young girl, who were also used in Kautilyan Athasastrain the sense <strong>of</strong> young prostitutes, who were to become the futureGanika. Kautilya has also used the word rupadasi 132 , a female servant<strong>of</strong> beauty, that is a person employed in making garl<strong>and</strong>s, scents <strong>and</strong>the like in the sense <strong>of</strong> a lower-degree prostitute. 133Ganika (Courtesans)Recruitment <strong>of</strong> ganikas; Kautilya says, “Any woman, who was beautiful(Rupa), young (yauva) <strong>and</strong> who was endowed with arts, i.e. the sixtyfourarts (Silpa), could become a Ganika.” Kautilya 134 further says that royal splendour <strong>by</strong> holding the royal umbrella, the golden pitcher,<strong>and</strong> the fan <strong>and</strong> attending the King, seated on his royal litter, throne,or chariot.” According to the qualitative kinds <strong>of</strong> prostitutes, theworks were assigned differently. A division <strong>of</strong> prostitutes, in differentcategories, similar to that <strong>of</strong> Kautilya 135 , the highest were supposed toattend to the King at the throne to hold the royal umbrella.Kautilya mentioned that other than Ganika’s daughters, other girlswere also recruited as Ganikas, Ganikanvayam aganikanvayam. 136 Itindicates that any woman could be chosen as Ganikas <strong>and</strong> also hintsat Ganika’s daughters to be preferably the future Ganikas. Her sistersused to look after her in the event <strong>of</strong> premature or sudden death <strong>of</strong>198 January - March, 2013
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