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The Last Courtesan : Writing My Mother's Memoir
" The 1993 Bow Bazaar bomb blast in Calcutta brought an end to the kothas in the busy commercial district. Over the next few years, as dance bars and disco music replaced the old-world charm of mujras, kathak and thumri, the tawaifs began to abandon the profession. Rekhabai, a courtesan, found herself at a crossroads, facing an uncertain future. Where should she go? What should she do next? Originally from the Kanjarbhat tribe, Rekhabai was sold and trained as a tawaif while she was still a child. In the 1980s, when kothas were no longer recognized as centres for aesthetics, and society disapproved of the tawaif's art, as they felt it was sex work in the guise of adakari (performance), Rekhabai made a name for herself in Calcutta and Bombay as a singing-dancing star. It was an era when she had to dodge guns, goons and Ghalib's ghazals to carve out her own destiny, provide for her large family and raise her son in an English-medium boarding school. In this poignant memoir, she narrates the unbelievable story of her survival to her son with candour, grace and humour, never missing a beat and always full of heart. "
192 pages, Hardcover
Published July 5, 2023
9 people are currently reading
397 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 2, 2024
If you read anything by Manish Gaekwad—from tweets to his books—you are likely to go on what is a literary equivalent of a roller coaster. I love how his sentences are always talking to each other, strung together in an often musical conversation. They ask each other questions, and answer themselves in often hilarious, charming ways. Of course, it’s so entertaining to read prose like this. But there’s more.
What’s really good about the way that he writes is that it is so unflinchingly truthful. Almost a literary nakedness, which is profound and often elegiac.
In ‘The Last Courtesan’, all of this and more is apparent. Gaekwad’s mother Rekhabai, was sold as a tawaif by the family she was married into as a child. The book is her story, a story that Rekhabai told Gaekwad, and that he ~records~ (arguably, more than he writes). Like a captivating, consuming cassette playing, the book flows through in a confessional-conversational prose. ‘You were like this’ and ‘I did this’, is what Rekhabai tells us through the book. It’s a story that is as dramatic as everyday life, and as grand. The story of a woman who found her way in life through her truly unshakeable, inspiring spirit. Also massive talent. She learned how to dance and sing—so well that she could do them both fearlessly, even at gunpoint. She learned, more importantly, how to love, and through this book, tells us how to do it too. Love is a lot of things, after all.
I could not stop reading this book. Just like I couldn’t stop reading his debut memoir-travelogue ‘Lean Days’. Reductively put, it’s the story of a gay man and his sexual-personal (mis)adventures in India’s cities. Ahmedabad Days, Delhi Days, Bombay Days… Through these stories is woven the tangible uncanniness of queer experiences with desire and identity. Gaekwad also weaves superb intertexts. There’s Ghalib in both the books, and Camus (a lot of Camus). There’s movies he has watched and also stories of who he watched them with. Quite simply, both the books are proud and brave chronicles, told with so much! heart.
Do I still need to write more to convince you to go and read both his books?
What’s really good about the way that he writes is that it is so unflinchingly truthful. Almost a literary nakedness, which is profound and often elegiac.
In ‘The Last Courtesan’, all of this and more is apparent. Gaekwad’s mother Rekhabai, was sold as a tawaif by the family she was married into as a child. The book is her story, a story that Rekhabai told Gaekwad, and that he ~records~ (arguably, more than he writes). Like a captivating, consuming cassette playing, the book flows through in a confessional-conversational prose. ‘You were like this’ and ‘I did this’, is what Rekhabai tells us through the book. It’s a story that is as dramatic as everyday life, and as grand. The story of a woman who found her way in life through her truly unshakeable, inspiring spirit. Also massive talent. She learned how to dance and sing—so well that she could do them both fearlessly, even at gunpoint. She learned, more importantly, how to love, and through this book, tells us how to do it too. Love is a lot of things, after all.
I could not stop reading this book. Just like I couldn’t stop reading his debut memoir-travelogue ‘Lean Days’. Reductively put, it’s the story of a gay man and his sexual-personal (mis)adventures in India’s cities. Ahmedabad Days, Delhi Days, Bombay Days… Through these stories is woven the tangible uncanniness of queer experiences with desire and identity. Gaekwad also weaves superb intertexts. There’s Ghalib in both the books, and Camus (a lot of Camus). There’s movies he has watched and also stories of who he watched them with. Quite simply, both the books are proud and brave chronicles, told with so much! heart.
Do I still need to write more to convince you to go and read both his books?
August 12, 2025
An extraordinary life of an extraordinary woman. This book not only quelled my curiosity about the life of courtesans in the India of 80s and 90s, it also made me understand their struggles behind the glittery and glamourous veil of the kothas. Rekhabai led a challenging life and so did the courtesans of those times. The way she spoke through the author was so honest, raw, a bit cheeky, and also dramatic—almost played in my mind like a movie. From what I read, I could see that she was a wonderful artist. Only wish I would have been able to time travel and see her famous dance moves.
The writing almost teleported me to one of those kothas of Bow Bazaar and Congress house in Bombay. Such a wonderful storytelling. Although towards the last part of the book where Rekhabai returns to Calcutta, I felt the story was quite fast-paced with too many people and names to remember. Apart from this, it was indeed a wonderful read for me.
I regularly read and enjoy the author's LinkedIn posts, and through those I came to know about this book. Would just like to thank him here (if he reads the reviews) for writing Rekhabai's extraordinary story in such a beautiful way. I've already ordered his latest book (probably a sequel of sorts) Nautch Boy - his memoir, and can't wait to read it.
The writing almost teleported me to one of those kothas of Bow Bazaar and Congress house in Bombay. Such a wonderful storytelling. Although towards the last part of the book where Rekhabai returns to Calcutta, I felt the story was quite fast-paced with too many people and names to remember. Apart from this, it was indeed a wonderful read for me.
I regularly read and enjoy the author's LinkedIn posts, and through those I came to know about this book. Would just like to thank him here (if he reads the reviews) for writing Rekhabai's extraordinary story in such a beautiful way. I've already ordered his latest book (probably a sequel of sorts) Nautch Boy - his memoir, and can't wait to read it.
July 25, 2023
The last courtesan by Manish Gaekwad is undoubtedly a heartfelt tribute to his mother for the strong woman she was, who lived life in its most vulnerable forms yet held her head high and worked hard as a courtesan to give the best education to her son who, despite all the odds, is today a journalist and a well-known author. One can only imagine how vulnerable the author would have felt for sharing his mother's story with the world, which in a way, is his own story too. This book is not just a true story but a book of courage and rising above one's insecurities.
The author's mother, Rekha Devi, was a daughter from the Kanjarbhat community who was sold very young by her poor parents to a Bedni who used to source Tawaifs to Kothas. Rekha's fate took her to different Kothas in Kolkata, where she rose to fame as one of the best dancers. During a time when Tawaifs and Kothas were one of the primary sources of entertainment for the male faction of society, despite being an outsider, Rekha Devi established herself as one of the best in the trade not just in Kolkata but also in Mumbai. Her work brought her in touch with every kind of patron, but she always stood strong and never let her fears take over. Her life's only mission was to provide for her family, who lived in utter poverty in Pimpri, and to give the best education to her son.
The author has written this story in first-person narration, in his mother's rustic and humorous tone. This is even justified because any other way of telling this story would have been wrong. In several instances, readers are bound to get touched by the honesty and simplicity of the woman who bared the tawaif and a mother in herself and did not try to sugarcoat her reality. At moments readers are bound to guess what would be the author's version of the story, which was his life too during his childhood. A fast-paced, unputdownable, and gripping story, it won't be a wonder if this book gets converted on the silver screen someday.
The author's mother, Rekha Devi, was a daughter from the Kanjarbhat community who was sold very young by her poor parents to a Bedni who used to source Tawaifs to Kothas. Rekha's fate took her to different Kothas in Kolkata, where she rose to fame as one of the best dancers. During a time when Tawaifs and Kothas were one of the primary sources of entertainment for the male faction of society, despite being an outsider, Rekha Devi established herself as one of the best in the trade not just in Kolkata but also in Mumbai. Her work brought her in touch with every kind of patron, but she always stood strong and never let her fears take over. Her life's only mission was to provide for her family, who lived in utter poverty in Pimpri, and to give the best education to her son.
The author has written this story in first-person narration, in his mother's rustic and humorous tone. This is even justified because any other way of telling this story would have been wrong. In several instances, readers are bound to get touched by the honesty and simplicity of the woman who bared the tawaif and a mother in herself and did not try to sugarcoat her reality. At moments readers are bound to guess what would be the author's version of the story, which was his life too during his childhood. A fast-paced, unputdownable, and gripping story, it won't be a wonder if this book gets converted on the silver screen someday.
January 12, 2025
This was a ride. Rekhabai's life is awe-inspiring. I didn't think I could enjoy a memoir so much, not that I have read many, but I loved reading. So much to gain and learn from this, and it is entertaining at that too with the writing style. Inspite of the hardships which Rekha underwent, her always standing her ground and rising strong from them will always make you root for her, in every phase. This book made me cry at times, be angry at the characters, and just root for Rekha, and her son.
The way the author has penned this heartfelt memoir is also very beautiful. Read this book for Rekhabai's life, for learning about a lost culture, and for the heartwarming story, and much more.
I feel this could be made into a movie too, if it can do justice to the book, and the life of Rekhabai.
This is the second book I read about Tawaifs and the culture, after Tawaifnama by Saba Dewan, which was also very good.
The way the author has penned this heartfelt memoir is also very beautiful. Read this book for Rekhabai's life, for learning about a lost culture, and for the heartwarming story, and much more.
I feel this could be made into a movie too, if it can do justice to the book, and the life of Rekhabai.
This is the second book I read about Tawaifs and the culture, after Tawaifnama by Saba Dewan, which was also very good.
September 23, 2023
Just read "The Last Courtesan" by Manish Gaekwad and was compelled to share my thoughts. The story unfolds as a courtesan shaping life for both herself and her son. A poignant journey entwining adversities, grace, and strength.
Gaekwad's writing is sharp and introspective, drawing readers in with vivid imagery and cultural richness. An honest documentation indeed.
Here, I'm sharing a few of my favourite pieces from the book:
🔸Like her, I too have lived alone and aloof for most of my life. I grew up in kothas and in boarding schools… We don’t share a typical mother-son relationship… We meet like strangers, trying to read the other as politely as possible…looking for a crack to let the neon light pass and illuminate both sides.”
🔸‘My son, you were an education to me. my education.
You used to open your books and read nursery rhymes. I used to stare and wonder what you were reading. It was music to my ears. Better than our music. It sounded bright and positive, full of rhythm and dance in your rising cadence. It was unlike the lives my siblings and I had ever lived.’
🔸‘Life gives you a window seat to belong in the world when you feel lost. I looked out of the window, trying to breathe calmly through my fears. I was floating in the clouds, looking at the sun. The world was one with me, filling my lungs with confidence.’
Recommended 🖤
On Instagram:
my link text
Gaekwad's writing is sharp and introspective, drawing readers in with vivid imagery and cultural richness. An honest documentation indeed.
Here, I'm sharing a few of my favourite pieces from the book:
🔸Like her, I too have lived alone and aloof for most of my life. I grew up in kothas and in boarding schools… We don’t share a typical mother-son relationship… We meet like strangers, trying to read the other as politely as possible…looking for a crack to let the neon light pass and illuminate both sides.”
🔸‘My son, you were an education to me. my education.
You used to open your books and read nursery rhymes. I used to stare and wonder what you were reading. It was music to my ears. Better than our music. It sounded bright and positive, full of rhythm and dance in your rising cadence. It was unlike the lives my siblings and I had ever lived.’
🔸‘Life gives you a window seat to belong in the world when you feel lost. I looked out of the window, trying to breathe calmly through my fears. I was floating in the clouds, looking at the sun. The world was one with me, filling my lungs with confidence.’
Recommended 🖤
On Instagram:
my link text
September 27, 2023
"He never gave me money- I mean, not a lot. He gave me a lot of respect. That meant more to me as a young woman who had not yet understood the value of money. If one is given respect in youth, one begins to build character, rather than chase money."
- Manish Gaekwad, The Last Courtesan
As the story begins, we see a little Rekha, about twelve, playing with her friends and siblings and one day she is just married off, to whom, and how, unknown.
With the flipping of pages, we see her getting sold at the Kothas of Kolkata and being trained to dance and sing as a Tawaif. And rest is what unfolds in her life as she learns, unlearns and prepares herself for a show, life. Being a complete outsider in a business of entertainment back then which had face value, Rekha built her own world where she was the queen and she was the soldier. The book is a raw, unapologetic and vivid account of how life turned for a little girl at a kotha.
The narrative is lucid and is written in first person from her perspective. It takes us to Calcutta, then Bombay and then back to Calcutta and entwined here were the tales of struggles, of laughters and sorrows, of hope and dignity. With the birth of a baby boy, Rekha worked towards building a life for him which will be encased in education, away from the kotha.
The story is beautifully weaved, and it flows. The thing about memoirs is that you need to have a hook to keep going and reading about that person . And the author did complete justice in making it a page turner and keeping it simple, poignant. The book at parts also highlights how women are treated as commodities to settles scores, to win, and to violate. It makes me so mad and sad at the same time.
The only thing that I did not like in the book was the English translations of the Hindi phrases written right after each one of them. It annoyed me as it meant the same thing and you had to read it twice. Only Hindi would have added that rustic and raw charm of Rekha, making is better.
If you love reading memoirs, then surely go for this and you would love reading it. It surely is a page turner.
Totally recommended!
- Manish Gaekwad, The Last Courtesan
As the story begins, we see a little Rekha, about twelve, playing with her friends and siblings and one day she is just married off, to whom, and how, unknown.
With the flipping of pages, we see her getting sold at the Kothas of Kolkata and being trained to dance and sing as a Tawaif. And rest is what unfolds in her life as she learns, unlearns and prepares herself for a show, life. Being a complete outsider in a business of entertainment back then which had face value, Rekha built her own world where she was the queen and she was the soldier. The book is a raw, unapologetic and vivid account of how life turned for a little girl at a kotha.
The narrative is lucid and is written in first person from her perspective. It takes us to Calcutta, then Bombay and then back to Calcutta and entwined here were the tales of struggles, of laughters and sorrows, of hope and dignity. With the birth of a baby boy, Rekha worked towards building a life for him which will be encased in education, away from the kotha.
The story is beautifully weaved, and it flows. The thing about memoirs is that you need to have a hook to keep going and reading about that person . And the author did complete justice in making it a page turner and keeping it simple, poignant. The book at parts also highlights how women are treated as commodities to settles scores, to win, and to violate. It makes me so mad and sad at the same time.
The only thing that I did not like in the book was the English translations of the Hindi phrases written right after each one of them. It annoyed me as it meant the same thing and you had to read it twice. Only Hindi would have added that rustic and raw charm of Rekha, making is better.
If you love reading memoirs, then surely go for this and you would love reading it. It surely is a page turner.
Totally recommended!
September 9, 2023
I sat in a dazed silence for a long time after I turned the last page of the book. While the book is very well written, it is the story that stands out. A brave, spunky lady who navigated around more than a lifetime's share of obstacles with a practical head.
This is a must read, Rekha-jee's story must be known.
This is a must read, Rekha-jee's story must be known.
August 12, 2025
Beautiful, please read this!
October 23, 2024
I regard Sri Volga gaaru as my intellectual guru and a mother figure, who not only taught me how to think of women but also helped me truly understand femininity. She has shaped my thinking, my personality, my writing, and, in many ways, the life I lead every day. I am more indebted to her than words can ever convey.
As I scrolled through my social media feed, a post appeared, revealing that Telugu feminist writer Volga had not only written in praise of The Last Courtesan : Writing My Mother's Memoir but had also shared a translated version of her own work. The mere mention of her name rekindled the intellectual and emotional inspiration she has always provided me. Without hesitation, I ordered the book, eager to discover what had moved her so deeply.
This book stands as the finest piece of literature I’ve encountered this year. The reading experience was profoundly personal—there were countless moments when I just wanted to hug Ma Rekha Ji, hug her, wipe her tears, and even fight alongside her.
Though the book begins with an emotional intensity that stirred something deep within me, I felt the connection waver slightly as external events unfolded. It wasn’t until halfway through that the story took a profound turn—the moment the author was born, and she began to address the reader directly as "you." At that point, it felt as though I was listening to my own mother.
I hadn’t anticipated the book's end to arrive so soon. When it did, I found myself reluctant to close it. I couldn’t bear to part from this new 'Book Mom'—an artistic, witty, kind, and courageous figure who, cried with me, inspired me with her strength every single day, one whose wisdom I soaked in and whose pain I shared.
Manish Gaekwad, You have not only crafted a beautiful narrative but also shared your mother’s warmth, love, and strength with us all. Through your words, I have found a connection that transcends the page—a reminder that the stories of our mothers, their resilience, their love, and their sacrifices, are the most profound gifts we can carry with us.
As I scrolled through my social media feed, a post appeared, revealing that Telugu feminist writer Volga had not only written in praise of The Last Courtesan : Writing My Mother's Memoir but had also shared a translated version of her own work. The mere mention of her name rekindled the intellectual and emotional inspiration she has always provided me. Without hesitation, I ordered the book, eager to discover what had moved her so deeply.
This book stands as the finest piece of literature I’ve encountered this year. The reading experience was profoundly personal—there were countless moments when I just wanted to hug Ma Rekha Ji, hug her, wipe her tears, and even fight alongside her.
Though the book begins with an emotional intensity that stirred something deep within me, I felt the connection waver slightly as external events unfolded. It wasn’t until halfway through that the story took a profound turn—the moment the author was born, and she began to address the reader directly as "you." At that point, it felt as though I was listening to my own mother.
I hadn’t anticipated the book's end to arrive so soon. When it did, I found myself reluctant to close it. I couldn’t bear to part from this new 'Book Mom'—an artistic, witty, kind, and courageous figure who, cried with me, inspired me with her strength every single day, one whose wisdom I soaked in and whose pain I shared.
Manish Gaekwad, You have not only crafted a beautiful narrative but also shared your mother’s warmth, love, and strength with us all. Through your words, I have found a connection that transcends the page—a reminder that the stories of our mothers, their resilience, their love, and their sacrifices, are the most profound gifts we can carry with us.
January 17, 2024
I just finished reading a son's love letter to a mother. In what seems like a monologue many of us would have heard from our elders about their life, Rekhabai is generous to share her story, her vulnerabilities, her struggles, and her attitude towards life with her incredible son, and by extension, us.
Manish has written this memoir with such earnestness, detachment, and ensured that his mum never stops being the protagonist of her story, in every page.
Tracing her story through the cities she has had to make life happen for herself in, Manish has not bothered with timelines but has followed a chronology by expertly mentioning incidents of national importance that we know. Rekhabai herself has never bothered with things as trivial as age - having never had anyone counting for her, and never had the luxury to celebrate anything in her early life.
My biggest takeaway from this story has been an acknowledgement of all of my privileges, and a reflection on how I have faced circumstances of survival in my own life. This memoir is a story of survival, first, before anything else. And the first lesson in a story of survival is - you are both, your own glider, and your own parachute. Rekhabai's responses to circumstances, however dire they are, are that of detachment and resilience. Her goal has always been clear - I have to survive, cannot go back to poverty.
How a ten yo girl, forced out of Pimpri, makes her way through life not only for herself but also, for her mother, brother, and sisters - is why this book is a MUST read. In our over-exposed world, we hear of difficulties of migration - add poverty, trafficking, and no education to that, and how does one still make it through life? Rekhabai shows us it's possible.
I have been in search of a story of a female stoic, and I think I have found it. The Last Courtesan will remain an incredibly personal book to me, one I will keep going back to.
Manish has written this memoir with such earnestness, detachment, and ensured that his mum never stops being the protagonist of her story, in every page.
Tracing her story through the cities she has had to make life happen for herself in, Manish has not bothered with timelines but has followed a chronology by expertly mentioning incidents of national importance that we know. Rekhabai herself has never bothered with things as trivial as age - having never had anyone counting for her, and never had the luxury to celebrate anything in her early life.
My biggest takeaway from this story has been an acknowledgement of all of my privileges, and a reflection on how I have faced circumstances of survival in my own life. This memoir is a story of survival, first, before anything else. And the first lesson in a story of survival is - you are both, your own glider, and your own parachute. Rekhabai's responses to circumstances, however dire they are, are that of detachment and resilience. Her goal has always been clear - I have to survive, cannot go back to poverty.
How a ten yo girl, forced out of Pimpri, makes her way through life not only for herself but also, for her mother, brother, and sisters - is why this book is a MUST read. In our over-exposed world, we hear of difficulties of migration - add poverty, trafficking, and no education to that, and how does one still make it through life? Rekhabai shows us it's possible.
I have been in search of a story of a female stoic, and I think I have found it. The Last Courtesan will remain an incredibly personal book to me, one I will keep going back to.
December 13, 2023
I am in two minds, rate it three star or four star. Half is not available. Doesn't matter.I don't mind four.
I liked the book for it's honesty, for the depiction of an age which has perhaps gone away into history.
We have been hearing about who was mother of Nargis- Jaddanbai, about famous classical singers like Rasoollanbai, of Goharjan who was recorded by HMV; but had never known or imagined what it was like to be a Tawaif, or what were the kothas like, or how these famous singers lived and worked and faced life. Indian cinemas have glamourised the kothas in technicolours. We never knew the filth, the fear, the degradation that were behind these glamourised technicoloured frames that entertained us and that gave us songs that we hummed.
The Last Courtesan opens our eyes and our souls to what it was. To be presented by son of a Tawaif is a unique thing.
I enjoyed most of the book except the last few pages started dragging with repetitions of what has similarly gone earlier. The characters float in and out and by that time you have forgotten who is who.
Everything aside, hats off to the honesty of the author/presenter Manish Gaikwad.
I liked the book for it's honesty, for the depiction of an age which has perhaps gone away into history.
We have been hearing about who was mother of Nargis- Jaddanbai, about famous classical singers like Rasoollanbai, of Goharjan who was recorded by HMV; but had never known or imagined what it was like to be a Tawaif, or what were the kothas like, or how these famous singers lived and worked and faced life. Indian cinemas have glamourised the kothas in technicolours. We never knew the filth, the fear, the degradation that were behind these glamourised technicoloured frames that entertained us and that gave us songs that we hummed.
The Last Courtesan opens our eyes and our souls to what it was. To be presented by son of a Tawaif is a unique thing.
I enjoyed most of the book except the last few pages started dragging with repetitions of what has similarly gone earlier. The characters float in and out and by that time you have forgotten who is who.
Everything aside, hats off to the honesty of the author/presenter Manish Gaikwad.
September 23, 2024
4.5/5
I'm glad that Manish Gaekwad chose to share his mother's extraordinary journey with us. I'm more glad that his mother agreed to share it to start with, because what a powerful and incredible life she had lived -- a life full of resilience , strength and hope. In a day and age where most people still worry about what "society" would think of them or their actions, she was bravely carving her own path and her identity during the times when the said society was even more closeted. It was the society itself that chose to ignore her and push her on an irreversible path, but once on it, her grit was unmatched.
And the lessons she imparted to Manish are clearly evident -- anyone who has been following him on social media or reading the anecdotes he shares outside of this book can imagine what an amazing human being he is -- and that has been the biggest achievement of her life I feel. This journey, then, is not only her alone, but also one that Manish continues to this day and will keep undertaking because he lives and learns through her experiences and her strengths.
I'm glad that Manish Gaekwad chose to share his mother's extraordinary journey with us. I'm more glad that his mother agreed to share it to start with, because what a powerful and incredible life she had lived -- a life full of resilience , strength and hope. In a day and age where most people still worry about what "society" would think of them or their actions, she was bravely carving her own path and her identity during the times when the said society was even more closeted. It was the society itself that chose to ignore her and push her on an irreversible path, but once on it, her grit was unmatched.
And the lessons she imparted to Manish are clearly evident -- anyone who has been following him on social media or reading the anecdotes he shares outside of this book can imagine what an amazing human being he is -- and that has been the biggest achievement of her life I feel. This journey, then, is not only her alone, but also one that Manish continues to this day and will keep undertaking because he lives and learns through her experiences and her strengths.
June 19, 2025
I developed the habit of reading again in 2023. Even at a slow pace, I have been struggling a bit to keep myself up. Because for me, reading something needs my full attention which means getting into the imaginary scenes of the stories that I come across and by the time I've finished reading the book, I am already zoned out. And it takes a hood amount of time for me to get back to reality.
The Last Courtesan did something similar to me. And thinking of Manish writing his mother's memoir + landing her life open in a book - pages 98 and 149 I think I will remember for a long time. From Rekha Bai's pov since she came to senses till she lands herself looking in the mirror, her diamond nosepin, alone in that one dark room - again...
Naseeb ka khel ! Destiny's play - as her mother always used to say , to she continued fighting herself out of the destiny's games altogether, to being a fierce woman who knew what she wanted and was clear always even after situations kept rambling in front of her.
Rekha Ma 🙏
The Last Courtesan did something similar to me. And thinking of Manish writing his mother's memoir + landing her life open in a book - pages 98 and 149 I think I will remember for a long time. From Rekha Bai's pov since she came to senses till she lands herself looking in the mirror, her diamond nosepin, alone in that one dark room - again...
Naseeb ka khel ! Destiny's play - as her mother always used to say , to she continued fighting herself out of the destiny's games altogether, to being a fierce woman who knew what she wanted and was clear always even after situations kept rambling in front of her.
Rekha Ma 🙏
September 8, 2023
A unique book. Very touching story of a determined and gutsy woman from the depressed community of kanjarbhat who negotiated through various harsh realities and adversities of her life - poverty, destitution, illiteracy, underage incompatible and exploitative marriage, bonded/sold courtesan, exploitative men/partners - with her adaptiveness, bravery, willpower, positive attitude and survival instincts and made sure that her most valuable thing - her son Manish is given the best possible (English) education and upbringing. Manish has proved himself deserving of this ever-loving, all-forgiving and role model of a woman. Read this moving tribute/memoir.
December 1, 2023
A tale of love and courage, as told by Rekhabai, given away in marriage for money as a child by her natal family and sold off by her husband's, to her son. She trained and practised as a tawaif in and around Bowbazaar in Calcutta, with a short and adventurous stint in Bombay. She negotiated a world of pimps, prostitutes, drunks, cheats, goondas and worse, ably enough to be her own woman, help her mother and many sisters quite a bit, and send her son with no real father to boarding school in Darjeeling. Survival drives a feminism truer than our privileged bluster.
October 4, 2023
A tribute to a courtesan mother after her death by her son - a journalist - by narrating her life in the first person. Absorbing reading of a true story about the life of a woman born to a drunkard father and a struggling mother living in abject poverty, circumstances surrounding her marriage in a family that introduces her to life of a courtesan, how she learns and adapts and takes charge of her life that has various twists and turns.
November 1, 2023
Got to know about this book from mint lounge article! Glad I decided to give it a go. Opened up a world to me that was previously hazed out from presumptions notions. For life of me I will never know how Rekha becomes this strong in life despite having a jarring start to adulthood! I for sure would have crashed out.
Honestly there is only reason I took away one star from my rating. The book is rushed through in parts, I was dying to know more or understand it better.
Honestly there is only reason I took away one star from my rating. The book is rushed through in parts, I was dying to know more or understand it better.
May 23, 2024
As a mother recounts her eventful life to her son, it becomes evident that she sees this opportunity not only to share her story but also to offer apologies for the challenges he faced during his traumatic childhood, shaped by her profession, relationships, and occasional poor decisions. It's a reflective journey worth delving into.
June 25, 2024
What a book!!! A roller coaster ride, indeed.
Very genuine and heartfelt narration of Tawaif Rekha who was a groundbreaking lady in the kotha.
Really like this conversational and confessional style of writing. The writing is very raw and unfiltered.
A must read to get an understanding of the era of tawaifs and kothas and the vulnerable lives happened there.
Very genuine and heartfelt narration of Tawaif Rekha who was a groundbreaking lady in the kotha.
Really like this conversational and confessional style of writing. The writing is very raw and unfiltered.
A must read to get an understanding of the era of tawaifs and kothas and the vulnerable lives happened there.
September 18, 2023
At times when Tawaifs were relegated as sex workers, here is the story of a woman who navigated herself to lead a life of dignity, seeking respect for her art, educating herself and successfully providing education for her son, the author himself. Wonderful read.
December 23, 2023
Fascinating memoir of a tawaif. Get to learn about the lives of these set of women & gives you a perspective that there is world beyond what we know. A tale of survival, struggle, triumph & interesting characters. Told so honestly
January 23, 2024
I quite enjoyed the book, after a while I finished a book. I found the book quite visual, engaging and very fresh.
March 12, 2024
Roxane Gay would love this book
May 26, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed how smoothly the writing flows!
January 25, 2025
Extraordinary read
November 21, 2024
This is a heartfelt tribute by the author to his mother , Rekhabai. I was intrigued by the book as it talks about the kotha culture in India, which majority of us don't know about clearly. To give you a background, a tawaif in a kotha back in the day was a courtesan, a respectable performer, a guardian of the arts and culture that was open to the elite in the city. Many people confuse a tawaif as a sex worker and the culture has been a stigma for a very long time now.
But the book isn't only about that, but about the life of Rekha right from when she was married off as a child or sold off as a courtesan. The struggles she faces, the way she raises her son in the midst of all of that, how she was also a sister, a daughter. She was a simple girl with no education, one who learned the way of living and surviving, all the while respecting herself. It is in first person, with Rekha herself as the narrator telling her own story, reliving, recollecting her life as she tells her son the life she lived. The harsh realities of her life, which we are clouded from because all we see is the glamour of it all.
The kotha culture declined sometime after the 90s, but the women and their stories live on. This is a fast paced and gripping book that shows how strong women can be, how resilient we can be. It felt like a 80s bollywood movie to me, with each and every dialogue and scene playing infront of me. The writing is so simple yet believable and touching at the same time.
A great memoir with a touching story. I definitely recommend this one.
But the book isn't only about that, but about the life of Rekha right from when she was married off as a child or sold off as a courtesan. The struggles she faces, the way she raises her son in the midst of all of that, how she was also a sister, a daughter. She was a simple girl with no education, one who learned the way of living and surviving, all the while respecting herself. It is in first person, with Rekha herself as the narrator telling her own story, reliving, recollecting her life as she tells her son the life she lived. The harsh realities of her life, which we are clouded from because all we see is the glamour of it all.
The kotha culture declined sometime after the 90s, but the women and their stories live on. This is a fast paced and gripping book that shows how strong women can be, how resilient we can be. It felt like a 80s bollywood movie to me, with each and every dialogue and scene playing infront of me. The writing is so simple yet believable and touching at the same time.
A great memoir with a touching story. I definitely recommend this one.
August 24, 2023
Not only is this memoir, a beautiful retelling of an incredibly difficult and arduous life– it is also the story of a mother, a dutiful sister and a proficient courtesan. While it is a story of hardship, at all times, it also remains hopeful and optimistic, just like Rekhabai herself!
Written with raw candour, the book also, urgently throws light on the lives of marginalised people and on perhaps the most vulnerable tribes (here the Berias and the Kanjar community) and how we, with our privileges know so little about their lives.
A must read!
Written with raw candour, the book also, urgently throws light on the lives of marginalised people and on perhaps the most vulnerable tribes (here the Berias and the Kanjar community) and how we, with our privileges know so little about their lives.
A must read!
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