The Anthapura or Antahpura (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
) was the royal
harem
Harem (Persian: حرمسرا ''haramsarā'', ar, حَرِيمٌ ''ḥarīm'', "a sacred inviolable place; harem; female members of the family") refers to domestic spaces that are reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A hare ...
of an Indian palace, the portion of king's palace where the queen and other court ladies stayed—the 'ladies' section' of the palace.
Normally, this portion of the palace would be accompanied with the Queen's Bath. Most of the palaces in India have ''anthapura'' as integral part (for example,
Hampi
Hampi or Hampe, also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Hampi (town), Hampi town, Vijayanagara district, east-central Karnataka, India.
Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire i ...
and
Mysore Palace
The Mysore Palace, also known as Amba Vilas Palace, is a historical palace and a royal residence (house). It is located in Mysore, Karnataka. It used to be the official residence of the Wadiyar dynasty and the seat of the Kingdom of Mysore. Th ...
).
[''Early Indian secular architecture'' by K Krishna Murthy. Delhi: Sundeep Prakashan, 1987. p.113 and following.]
See also
*
Women-only space
A women-only space is an area where only women (and in some cases children) are allowed, thus providing a place where they do not have to interact with men. Historically and globally, many cultures had, and many still have, some form of female sec ...
References
Architecture in India
Palaces in India
Indian culture
Women's culture
Harem
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