[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [The World of Courtesans](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973) › c10.43 # The World of Courtesans c10.43 The World of Courtesans c10.43 - **Language:** English ### [c10.43](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c10.43) The \*Mrichchhakatika\* is only concerned with the life of a noble courtesan and some of the low people who visited the quarters of ill-fame. But the \*Chaturbhani\*, a collection of four \*bhanas\* or burlesques by different authors all belonging to the early fifth century A.D., deals almost exclusively with life in the quarters of ill-fame. Courtesans and their hangers-on, and the different types of clients who visited them, are all described. Their conversation is in a pointed kind of language which Thomas calls the "very ambrosia of Sanskrit language." Their talks dealt with sports and amusements, drinking, gambling and other vices. Members attended \*goshthis\* with their women friends and apart from their interest in love-making, drinking, and gambling, these members also discussed topics relating to the art of love. They also enjoyed music, dancing and dramatic shows. Picnics and garden parties were also a necessary part of their culture. It is also evident from the burlesques that hardly any stigma was attached to visiting these quarters of ill-fame. Merchants, government officials, military officers, \*pandits\* and even Buddhist monks visited these quarters. - [Previous: c10.42](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c10.42) - [Next: c10.44](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c10.44) - [Up: c10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c10) ## Cites (2) - [Mṛcchakaṭika](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.plays.prakarana.mrcchakatika) — Śūdraka, Sanskrit - [Caturbhāṇī](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.plays.caturbhani.caturbhani) — Vararuci, Īśvaradatta, Śyāmilaka, Śūdraka, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c10.43](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c10.43) · Pramāṇa