This is Gauhar Jaan (1873-1930), a famous tawaif, or courtesan, who fought for India’s independence from British rule.
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She was a legendary dancer and singer. She spoke many languages fluently & recorded more than 600 records between 1902 and 1920, in Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Marathi, Arabic, Persian, Pushto, French, and English.
She raised money for the Swaraj Fund to support the freedom movement. Gandhi asked her to organise a fund-raising concert, she agreed on the condition that he would attend the event. When Gandhi didn’t turn up, she only sent him half of the earnings
She was outrageously extravagant in her spending habits. She once spent ₹20,000 to arrange a marriage between her cats.
During the 1920s, the British campaigned against the Tawaifs. When the Indian Viceroy was pressured to ban the profession, Gauhar commented that the Viceroy should mind his own business since his monthly salary was equal to what she received for one ‘mujra’!
She spent her last days as a court musician in the Mysore Maharaja's palace for a sum of ₹500 a month. nationalheraldindia.com/amp/story/peop…
Gauhar was one of many tawaifs who fought for Indian independence. If you’d like to learn more, a really great book is ‘Tawaifnama’ by Saba Dewan
