5.28 Manish Gaekwad: My Mother was the Last Courtesan
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What does it take to write a memoir of your mother, who was a courtesan in a changing India? Did Manish\\u2019s relationship with his mother color his own narration of her life story? Did he leave out bits that made him uncomfortable? What did his mother say when he told her he wanted to write a book about her?
In this episode of \\u201cBooks and Beyond,\\u201d Tara and Michelle talk to Manish Gaekwad, the author of \\u201cThe Last Courtesan,\\u201d a memoir of his mother, Rekhabai, who was one of the last tawaifs (courtesans) in India.\\xa0
They discover Rekhabai\\u2019s extraordinary life story, from being sold and trained as a wife to becoming a singing and dancing star in Calcutta and Bombay, to raising her son in a challenging world. They find out Manish\\u2019s own journey from growing up in a world of mujras, kathak and thumri.\\xa0
Tune in to this episode to learn more about the fascinating lives of Manisha and Rekhabai, and their bond of love and courage.
Produced by Aishwarya Jawalgekar
Sound Edit by Kshitij Jadhav
\\u2018Books and Beyond with Bound\\u2019 is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D\\u2019costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India\\u2019s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.