The World of Courtesans c11.161

c11.161

A survey of prostitution in Kashmir from the eighth to the eleventh century shows that though the pattern is maintained there is greater emphasis on the sex aspects of the profession and on its perfidies. They had to practise certain arts as a professional accomplishment, but the dignity attained by the courtesans of the Gupta period was lost. Even the *vitas* who were generally accomplished in the arts and full of good humour and wit lost their former zest They now acted as pimps and hangers-on. As a matter of fact the *vesha* culture suffered a definite decline in Kashmir during this period, and conditions were no better in northern India as the next Chapter will show.