Meet The Benares Courtesan Who Outsmarted The British To Hide Chandrashekhar Azad

Last Updated:November 12, 2025, 13:39 IST

Dhaneshri Bai's 'kotha' in Dalmandi secretly sheltered Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh, blending art and rebellion in Benares during India's freedom struggle

When Chandrashekhar Azad went underground in the 1920s, pursued relentlessly by the British, Dhaneshri Bai's home became his secret shelter. (News18 Hindi/File Photo)

The lanes of Dalmandi, once alive with the echoes of ghungroos and the fragrance of attar, hold within them a chapter of India’s freedom struggle few have heard of. Hidden behind the Dalmandi police station stood the kotha of Dhaneshri Bai, one of the most celebrated courtesans of Benares (now Varanasi). A woman whose grace and art once drew the city’s elite, Dhaneshri Bai’s courage later offered refuge to one of the greatest revolutionaries, Chandrashekhar Azad.

In the early decades of the 20th century, Dhaneshri Bai’s residence was famed for its mujra performances. Nawabs, landlords, and patrons of art frequented her gatherings, where music and poetry intertwined late into the night. Yet, amid the shimmering lights and songs, a different kind of rhythm pulsed, the rhythm of rebellion.

When Chandrashekhar Azad went underground in the 1920s, pursued relentlessly by the British, Dhaneshri Bai’s home became his secret shelter. The irony was striking; a revolutionary living safely just behind the police station. Her influence and the nature of her establishment made it the least likely place for suspicion, providing the perfect cover for Azad and his comrades.

Historians note that the Dalmandi area was not merely an entertainment hub but a thriving cultural and political ecosystem. Its courtesans, often dismissed by society, played a subtle yet powerful role in nurturing classical music and, as it now emerges, the freedom movement itself.

The area was frequented by maestros and freedom fighters alike. Ustad Bismillah Khan, in a famous reflection, once remarked, “If it weren’t for Dalmandi and its courtesans, perhaps Bismillah Khan wouldn’t exist either."

Amid the music and laughter of her kotha, Dhaneshri Bai’s courage quietly shaped the course of history. It is said that she not only sheltered Chandrashekhar Azad but also provided refuge to Bhagat Singh and other members of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). Several key meetings of the group were allegedly held within her home, masked by the sound of thumris and the clinking of ghungroos.

According to local lore and historical research, Dhaneshri Bai even contributed financially to the freedom struggle. A portion of her earnings, reportedly collected from her wealthy clientele, went towards purchasing weapons and materials for the HSRA’s underground operations. Her actions reflected a quiet defiance, a woman from the margins of society standing shoulder to shoulder with the men fighting for India’s independence.

Before the fateful Alfred Park encounter of 1931, where Azad met his end, he is believed to have stayed under Dhaneshri’s protection. Her kotha thus became a silent witness to the blend of art and revolution, a space where mujra and mutiny coexisted.

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