A segment of the Indian population involved in the Freedom Struggle is hardly ever remembered. Most of us are blind to the role of Tawaifs, or Courtesans. Their contribution is not mentioned in any school textbooks. This might be the case because Tawaif is no longer used as a derogatory term, but it wasn't always the case. They were respectable women—skilled, intelligent, and noble heroines—before colonial powers arrived.
The courtesans were strong, independent women who wouldn't back down. One such braveheart was the Lucknowi courtesan Azizun Nisa, better known by her stage name Azizan Bai. Her tale is still untold. Working as a spy in Kanpur, she got to know British Indian Army soldiers there, especially Shamsuddin Sawar of the 42nd Cavalry regiment. In her book Visibilising the 'Other' in History: Courtesans and the Revolt, Lata Singh states that Aziziun Nisa originally dressed like a man.
She fought even after the British began to marginalise and target her following the uprising. During the Cawnpore siege, Azizun Nisa made her most significant contribution by setting up her headquarters and fighting beside the soldiers. She represented the power of courtesans, who were not only knowledgeable about literature and the arts but also capable of funding and planning an offensive against the British.
It's unclear what became of Azizun Nisa; some accounts mention her trial but don't confirm that she was executed.
