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Chamber and committees

Tale of Tawaifs Launched at the Parliament

  • Submitted by: Foysol Choudhury, Lothian, Independent
  • Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
  • Motion type: Standard Motion
  • Motion reference: S6M-20359

That the Parliament congratulates Chandra Chakraborty on the launch of her book, Tale of Tawaifs, at the Parliament on 18 December 2025; understands that the tawaifs were women who performed at the courts of the Indian nobility; notes that the book seeks to repair the reputation and historical understanding of tawaifs by documenting their significant contribution to Indian art; acknowledges that the book is the product of significant research, including extensive fieldwork, analysis of oral histories and archival material, and use of musicological study; recognises that historians such as Ms Chakraborty, play an important role in shaping  people's understanding of each other in the present day; commends Ms Chakraborty for her dedication to restoring the tawaifs to their rightful place, and wishes her every success in the future.


Supported by: Karen Adam, Colin Beattie, Annabelle Ewing, Bill Kidd, Fulton MacGregor, Stuart McMillan, Paul Sweeney, Evelyn Tweed, Mercedes Villalba