The World of Courtesans c6.15

c6.15

The necessary corollaries of prostitution in ancient India were musical soirees, clubs and pleasure trips or even religious festivals in which prostitutes and other malefactors formed a part of the crowd. One such important occasion was *samkhadi*, which is equivalent to the *samajjas* of Buddhist literature. It is mentioned in one of the sutras of *B.K.S.B.*, which shows that it was a fairly ancient institution. The word is derived from *sam*, "in large groups", and *khada*, "killing", i.e. the festival in which animals were slaughtered in large numbers. The *samkhadi* was held in the early part of the day or after sunset. It is said that a *samkhadi* was held near the tank Rishi Tadaga situated at Tosali (Orissa). During a pilgrimage to Kundalamentha (situated in a deep forest) the people living in the neighbourhood of Bharukachchha performed a *samkhadi*, and it formed a part of the ceremonies of the pilgrimage to Arbuda (Abu) or Prabhasa. The people of the Anandapura performed *samkhadi* every winter at a spot called Prachinavaha where the direction of the river Saraswati changed to the east. The *samkhadi* was not confined to only a particular religion or sect since the Buddhist, Shaiva and Bhagavata monks are said to have also participated in it and held regular disputations.