Book: NAUTCH BOY: A MEMOIR OF MY LIFE IN THE KOTHAS
Author: Manish Gaekwad
Published by: HarperCollins
Price: Rs 499
Manish Gaekwad’s latest book has been written with refreshing honesty. Born
to the strong-willed Rekha Bai, a courtesan in Calcutta’s Bowbazar, Gaekwad grew
up surrounded by patrons, who tried their best to court the courtesans, as well as musicians. Unlike most in Indian society, courtesans prefer to have a girl child who would further their legacy.
Gaekwad carefully and consciously prioritises educating the reader about the rich cultural background of tawaifs to dispel the notions that have been created by popular culture in these unkind times. While a lot has been written about courtesans, both in fiction and non-fiction, the intimacy with which the author deals with the subject is what makes this book engaging. The narrative, which traces Gaekwad’s life, is made rich by varied emotions. The author not only grew up in an unconventional environment but also had to deal with additional complications, that of his sexual identity and not conforming to the traditional behavioural expectations that come with gender roles. Gaekwad also goes on to talk about his experiments and how he was exploited by others who were trying to explore their own sexuality.
The central part of the book is about Gaekwad’s relationship with his mother. Gaekwad reveals how his mother had considered killing him and even endangered his life when he was a premature baby on a superstitious whim. But there’s no judgement or criticism in the narration of these incidents; instead, there is a deep understanding of her realities.
This reviewer remembers Gaekwad correcting someone who had introduced him as a gay writer: Gaekwad had said, “I’m gay and a writer”. This correction might seem superfluous to some but for those who have seen how one’s identity can be weaponised, it is a burden that they carry forever. In Nautch Boy, he goes further and
underlines several deeply moving experiences that keep the reader with him all along the book. The language that he has used is sprinkled with copious amounts of Hindi; it gels effortlessly with the narrative and even enhances the reading experience. The book ends on a poignant note where Gaekwad writes: “No one recovers from the loss of their mother. No one should. I know what I will be doing for the rest of my life. Grieving.”