[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) › c8.178 # The World of Courtesans c8.178 The World of Courtesans c8.178 - **Language:** English ### [c8.178](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c8.178) On the festival days such as Ashtami. Kaumudī Jāgara and Shrīvasantaka it was customary for the women of the city and the districts to assemble at the houses of officers to pass their time in the company of the women of their household. The city women, after enjoying their drinks, proceeded to the apartments of their friends, exchanged gossip, received presents and thus passed their afternoon pleasantly. In this gathering the palace maid met the woman marked out by the king and tempted her by pointing to the splendid apartments of the palace. These apartments were provided with mosaic floorings, gardens with vine creepers, fountains (\*dhārāgṛhas\*) with water gushing out of the walls, mechanical animal toys, and a miniature zoo with caged birds, lions and tigers. She told her in private of her master's love for her, his skill in \*ars amoris\* and made her promise not to let out this secret. After she had agreed to the proposal, the king invited her and her husband to the palace. There his womenfolk made friends with her and the maid acted as a go-between. If the woman felt diffident, the maid was employed to approach her. The maid assured her that she had the confidence of the inmates of the harem. Thus she was cajoled into agreeing to visit the king. Vatsyayana very clearly states that a king should never visit the house of the woman of his choice as there was every likelihood of his being murdered there. - [Previous: c8.177](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c8.177) - [Next: c8.179](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c8.179) - [Up: c8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c8) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c8.178](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.chandra-1973.c8.178) · Pramāṇa