Tawaif
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Historically, a tawaif was a courtesan of the Muslim noble classes in South Asia, particularly during the Mughal era. They were known to be very knowledgeable in North Indian forms of singing, dance (usually kathak), and Urdu poetry. They were generally regarded to be highly educated, erudite ladies, and the high-class tawaifs could often pick and choose between the best of their suitors.
The tawaif culture was made famous by the Indian films Pakeezah and Umrao Jaan.
Today, the term in Urdu is almost synonymous with prostitute.