Keywords :Prostitutes--Social conditions
Buddhist literature
Jaina literature
Issue Date :1990
Publisher :Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi
Description :In modern terminology dharma, artha and kama are the principal motivating urges of an individual around which his whole life and conduct are centred. Manu said that the entire conduct of life should be formulated in terms of harmonious coordination of these urges. Kama is directly connected with the term ganika this article stresse kama as one of the powerful urges or need of man. Due to sexual desire and need of mankind marriage as an institution came into existence. The ganika is an ancient institution in India and its origin can be traced to the vedic period. Etymologically, the word is derived from 'gana' group or corporation of which a ganika was a member and was the common property of the whole body or gana held together by common economic and political bond. Ganikas were trained in fine arts like dance and music in order to entertain kings, princes and wealthy patrons on religious and social occasions. Thus the institution of ganika appears to have played an important role in preserving the cultural heritage of India, especially the heritage of our performing arts. This description of ganika is also applicable to the ganika in Buddhist and Jaina literature. There is a great deal of material on ganikas in both the canonical and non-canonical Buddhist and Jaina literature. In Buddhist literature a kings harem is described as being well constructed suffused with fragrance, housing 16000 dancing girls. The king was free to introduce any new girl in the harem without distinction of class or caste this indicates that women of the lower classes or castes did belong to the category of ganikas, practising music and dance though royal ladies were taught these art. Ganika also known as vesi or vesya nariyo, gamaniyo etc. In Buddhalilii Siirsssmgrehe king Suddhodana had added to thr number of dancing girls in the palace of Siddhartha to distract him from his speculations.Buddhist literature refers to ganikas of high character.
Jaina literature is also rich in material proving glimpses of courtesans lives. A ganika was highly respect by the people in general. Ganikas are mentioned as proficient in many arts and other lore. The Nayadhammakahao one of the Jain canonical texts describes Devadatta who was a rich courtesan of Campa city in detail. The Vivagasuya of the Jaina canoncialliterature describes the courtesan Kamajjhaya of Vaniyagama in the same manner as the Nayadhammaka hao.
The random examples of Buddhist and Jaina literature shows that courtesans were not only tolerated but held in high esteem, both Jainism and Buddhism did not have a very liberal attitude towards women; a woman's wickedness is the subject of many Jaina and Buddhist stories and courtesans are no exception in this respect.
Source :Sangeet Natak Akademi
Type :Article
Received From :Sangeet Natak Akademi
DC Field
Value
dc.contributor.author
Upadhye, P. M.
dc.date.accessioned
2017-07-05T03:37:23Z
dc.date.available
2017-07-05T03:37:23Z
dc.date.issued
1990
dc.description.abstract
In modern terminology dharma, artha and kama are the principal motivating urges of an individual around which his whole life and conduct are centred. Manu said that the entire conduct of life should be formulated in terms of harmonious coordination of these urges. Kama is directly connected with the term ganika this article stresse kama as one of the powerful urges or need of man. Due to sexual desire and need of mankind marriage as an institution came into existence. The ganika is an ancient institution in India and its origin can be traced to the vedic period. Etymologically, the word is derived from 'gana' group or corporation of which a ganika was a member and was the common property of the whole body or gana held together by common economic and political bond. Ganikas were trained in fine arts like dance and music in order to entertain kings, princes and wealthy patrons on religious and social occasions. Thus the institution of ganika appears to have played an important role in preserving the cultural heritage of India, especially the heritage of our performing arts. This description of ganika is also applicable to the ganika in Buddhist and Jaina literature. There is a great deal of material on ganikas in both the canonical and non-canonical Buddhist and Jaina literature. In Buddhist literature a kings harem is described as being well constructed suffused with fragrance, housing 16000 dancing girls. The king was free to introduce any new girl in the harem without distinction of class or caste this indicates that women of the lower classes or castes did belong to the category of ganikas, practising music and dance though royal ladies were taught these art. Ganika also known as vesi or vesya nariyo, gamaniyo etc. In Buddhalilii Siirsssmgrehe king Suddhodana had added to thr number of dancing girls in the palace of Siddhartha to distract him from his speculations.Buddhist literature refers to ganikas of high character.
Jaina literature is also rich in material proving glimpses of courtesans lives. A ganika was highly respect by the people in general. Ganikas are mentioned as proficient in many arts and other lore. The Nayadhammakahao one of the Jain canonical texts describes Devadatta who was a rich courtesan of Campa city in detail. The Vivagasuya of the Jaina canoncialliterature describes the courtesan Kamajjhaya of Vaniyagama in the same manner as the Nayadhammaka hao.
The random examples of Buddhist and Jaina literature shows that courtesans were not only tolerated but held in high esteem, both Jainism and Buddhism did not have a very liberal attitude towards women; a woman's wickedness is the subject of many Jaina and Buddhist stories and courtesans are no exception in this respect.
dc.source
Sangeet Natak Akademi
dc.format.extent
10-14 p.
dc.format.mimetype
application/pdf
dc.identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/3640
dc.language.iso
en
dc.publisher
Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi
dc.subject
Prostitutes--Social conditions
Buddhist literature
Jaina literature
Government of India
