The World of Courtesans c7.19

c7.19

Kautilya fully recognized the value of some kind of pension for *ganikas* and other kinds of prostitutes who in their younger days had brought considerable sums of money to the royal coffers. The condition laid down for such a pension was that it was made available to *ganikas*, *devadasis* and *rupajivas* if they had lost their beauty, or became old and incapable of earning money for the state. To ensure this advantage for themselves, the *ganikas* were naturally compelled to yield their person to everybody in order to earn profits for the state and in this respect they lacked the independence of private prostitutes.