Volume-XII, Issue-II, March 2026 |
The Ganikas in Early India: Highlighting the History of Women in the Margins Sweta Jha, Research Scholar, University of North Bengal, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India |
Received: 07.03.2026 | Accepted: 21.03.2026 | Published Online: 31.03.2026 | Page No: | ||||
DOI: 10.29032/ijhsss.vol.12.issue.02W. | |||||||
ABSTRACT | ||
The focal discourse on women in early India’s society, derived mainly from brahmanical texts, has been limited to the household. But there is a category of women who are important to society but are always kept silent. The focal point of this article is ganikas, a category of such women. It examines the history of ganikas, who were the embodiment of culture and enjoyed high status, yet were simultaneously treated as state-managed assets or chattel. These women were financially independent, and many had high status in society due to their beauty and talents. Ganikas were also considered carriers of culture because, besides dancing, they had to be proficient in other skills such as painting and singing. This research proposal intends to analytically review the history of prostitution, women’s history, the socio-economic role of ganikas, and their contradictory role in society, and how society sees them. | ||
Keywords: ganika, courtesan, margins, chattel, skill, dakshina, diplomatic. |