The World of Courtesans c7.42

c7.42

Prostitutes were also employed to kidnap the military personnel and princes. *Rupajivas* were brought to the cities to act as spies under the Superintendent of the city (*nagaraka-pranidhi*). They were entitled to receive those whom they knew and only if they were certain of the places from where they came. Besides mentioning the *ganikas*, *rupajivas*, *veshyas* etc., who were professional prostitutes, Kautilya also mentions wives of actors (*nata*) dancers (*nartaka*), singers, instrumentalists, buffoons, bards, rope dancers (*plavaka*), jugglers (*shaubhika*), wandering bards, pimps etc , who lived on the income of a sort of demi-monde.