When I got my appointment letter, I was glad to read I was
posted in Nariman Point, Mumbai branch. Though there have been very good commercial
centers built in Mumbai; somehow I always wanted my office to be in Nariman
Point - Proper Bombay, what we call it. There is a different aura of that
place. It is a different feel altogether when you travel by Local trains, stand
in a queue to get a cab, share your cab with new people each day.
23rd November 2010 was the day I remember pretty
well. We had an event coming up the coming Sunday and hence there was a lot of work on
our heads. We were three of us who waited till 9:30 pm including my Program
Officer – Amaan Khan, and the Marketing Lead – Seema Sharma. After finishing our dinner, we thought of
walking by the sea and then taking a cab home.
It was a beautiful sight. We stood facing the sea and there
was not a single word, we spoke. We were enjoying the sound of waves and the
feel of cold wind. That day Mumbai, my very own home, seemed to look more
beautiful to me. The bright stars reminded me
of the quote “Bombay - the city of dreams”. It indeed is, I thought.
Suddenly there was this chai wala (Tea vendor) who came to
us and asked us if we would want to drink garam garam chai (Hot hot tea). All the
three of us readily agreed. It is heaven to drink hot cutting chai late night
on a sea face.
The chai wala sat besides us, he looked at Amaan and asked “Aur
kuch chahiye sahaab” (Do you need anything else). Amaan just nodded his head
clearly indicating a NO. Suddenly Amaan’s facial expression changed and he urgently
paid the guy. His gestures proved he wanted to leave. I didn’t understand what
was going on. What else did the chai wala have to sell? Amaan wanted to leave
but Seema and me requested him to stay back for 10 minutes and promised we
would leave then.
Just as the chai wala guy left, we saw this young, very
beautiful girl coming towards us. She kept walking to and fro. It was as if she
was waiting for us. Seema could not handle her stares and asked her if
she needed anything. The girl was shocked by the question.
“Y’all called for me”, she said.
Amaan stood up and with sufficient respect “Ma’am, we don’t need
anything. I guess someone has misguided you”
She looked disappointed and left from there!
Amaan called for a cab and we all got into the cab. We
realized what just happened and we very upset about it. No one spoke about it.
I suddenly started hating Mumbai. The city, I was admiring just an hour back
looked like a devil to me. But least did I realize, it is not about the city,
it is about PROSTITUTION which exists everywhere.
2 months later:
I was with my friends at Worli Sea Face (another beautiful sea
face in Mumbai).
I saw the same young girl with a little child besides her
having ice cream. I could not resist myself; I went and greeted her without really
knowing whether she would recognize me. She quickly stood, gave me a broad
smile and greeted me back.
“Meet my son”, she readily said. I cannot take him to
Nariman Point as that is my work place. I gave a wrong reaction when she said “Work
place” which I should not have.
She said “Yes, it is my work place and prostitution is my
profession. I need money to give my son the right education and there was a time
in my life when I had no option but this. I don’t regret anything. Life did not
give me too many options and I did not have the time to find out any.”
But yes, I keep telling all my customers that I am looking
for a good job but they are hardly interested in what I want. The only thing I pray
to god is to give me some good customers because they are the only point of contact
for me to the outer world. Before my son
understands my profession, I want to change it, she said. She gave me her cell
number and told me she could speak fluent English, had very good bargaining
skills (which I would term as negotiating power) and could sell herself very
well.
I smiled and told her “Though, I am not your customer, I can
find a job for you.”
Today, Nisha takes her son at any sea face in Mumbai with her
head up!!!!
When I see her today, I have RESPECT for her not only because the way she has led her life without any regrets but also because she still does not forget what she has been through. With the money she earns, she makes sure she shares that with the woman who need support and an opportunity in their lives.
Nisha for me is a Woman of Honor.
Nisha for me is a Woman of Honor.
Some Findings:
1) According to
the law for prostitution in INDIA, prostitutes can practice their trade privately but cannot legally
solicit customers in public. Organized prostitution (brothels, prostitution
rings, pimping etc) is illegal. As long as it is done individually and
voluntarily, a woman (male prostitution is not recognized in the Indian
constitution) can use her body's attributes in exchange for material benefit.
In particular, the law forbids a sex worker to carry on her profession within
200 yards of a public place. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immoral_Traffic_in_Persons_Act#Legal_status)
2) According to UNICEF, India contained half of the one million children
worldwide who enter the sex trade each year.
Some more links :
hausla hai to sabkuch hai
ReplyDeleteGood.
ReplyDeleteShe is a brave woman and Mother.
ReplyDeletePeople some times do this kind of
work out of necessities.
pravinash@yahoo.com
well written...
ReplyDeletekeep it up vidhi ...god bless u baccha
Nice article
ReplyDelete