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Saturday 1 March 2014

Asia's 2nd largest red light district:KAMATHIPURA

My visit to this place screened me few realities of greed, need and helplessness. BMC every year undertake two to three building for redevelopment, but the lanes here are still 100 years old, dirty, stinky, non-walk able and wooden made. Yet you can see branded cars all around. During 1795, workers from Andhra Pradesh were migrated to South Mumbai to built a causeway uniting all seven islands of Bombay. Those workers were called Kamathis and the place was their residence, hence named Kamathipura.  In 2005 state government of Maharashtra banned dance bars and many dancing girls, who couldn't find any means of income, moved here as prostitutes. Currently there is no place for these sex workers to sit with their customers, hence they hang around the streets, solicit customers and rent an available bed. As we go back to history, we learn that, during 19th and early 20th century, number of women and girls from Japan and Europe were trafficked to Kamathipura, for British soldiers and local Indian men. From there the major business began.
The lanes here are famous for its uniqueness--
1) Safed Gully (white Lane) was a house of Europe prostitutes during British rule
2) Bachchuseth ki wadi was famous for its tawaifs and mujras. It was also the frequent point of Mumbai underworld.

We the high class or good society people treat them inferior or pity on them, but we visit them first. We are the one who make them do this, by asking to spend a night for a job, casting couch, bringing girls from villages and small towns for job or marry them and later sell them to these brothels. Only 10 to 15% of girls work for enjoyment or with their own consent, but the other are put in this business by force or they work for basic needs. Today girls from south India, central India, east India and Nepal are trafficked more into this business.
Here girls are not know by their names, instead by their rates. Many couple from Rajasthan, Haryana and other northern states sell their girl child, just for the greed of a male child. If a women can't give birth to a male child, she would be ask to divorce her husband or will be send back to her parents house, even the girls own parents don't reside her, just for their respect in society. And all these things, don't just happens with low cast or illiterate people. Even the highly qualified and rich people practice such crime.

Whole India rose their voice for Delhi gang rape victim; here every day hundred of girls are raped, but we care a damn. Because we are not yet finished criticizing the government or laws and orders.

Everybody wants change, but without changing our self, "You change yourself, but I won't". The first thing that should change is, "Not I, It should be WE". And to make difference in society one don't have to attain any rally or Anshan (fast), just change you thinking and be equal to all. Automatically your children or young one's will imitate you and at their early age teach them the lesson of WE, help and good deeds and ask them to pass it to their child or young one's when they grow old. This chain of goodness will bring a change in mindset of people.

Its said, "The change began's from us"  




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