Kamathipura
Encyclopedia
Kamathipura (Marathi
: कामाठीपुरा) is Mumbai
's oldest and Asia's largest red-light district
. It was first settled after 1795 with the construction of various causeways that connected the erstwhile seven islands of Bombay
, initially known as Lal Bazaar, it got its name from the Kamathis
(workers) of Andhra Pradesh
state, who as labourers on construction sites. Then in 1880s it turned into a "comfort zone" for British troops, during British Raj
. However due to tough police crackdown, in late 1990s with the rise of AIDS
, and government's redevelopment policy that helped sex workers to move out of the profession and subsequently out of Kamathipura, the number of sex workers in the area have dwindled, in 1992, as Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) records there were 50,000 sex workers her which reduced to 1,600 in 2009, with many sex worker migrating to other areas in Mumbai like n Mulund, Bhandup
and Ghatkopar
, and real estate developer taking over the high priced real estate.
After the completion of the Hornby Vellard
project in 1784, that build a causeway
uniting all seven islands of Bombay
was initiated under William Hornby, Governor of Bombay (1771 -1784), plugged the Great Breach in Mahalaxmi
, while the subsequent Bellasis Road causeway joined Mazagaon
and Malabar Hill
in 1793. This resulted in several low-lying marshy areas of Mumbai Flats like Byculla, Tardeo
, Mahalaxmi
and Kamathipura opening up for inhabitation. Thereafter starting 1795, Kamathis
(workers) of Andhra Pradesh
state, working as labourers on construction sites began settling here, giving the area its present name. It was bounded by Bellasis Road on the north, by Grant Road
on the south and the main road across, Falkland Road. At one point during this period it was also home to a Chinese community, which worked as dockhands and ran restaurants.Though by late 19th century it all changed.
Between 1880s and 1920s, the area was gradually turned into official "comfort zone" of the British
for their troops and guest. Till then as previous 1864 Census figures for Bombay indicate, other areas had a larger population of prostitutes, like Girgaum (1,044), Phanaswadi (1,323) and Oomburkharee (1,583) compared with Kamathipura (601), all which declined after 1864. This small region boasted the most exotic consorts. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, a large number of women and girls from continental Europe
and Japan
were trafficked
into Kamathipura, where they worked as prostitutes servicing both British soldiers and local India
n men. Gradual, social stratification
also took place in the coming years, in fact a busy road in Kamathipura was known as Safed Gully (White Lane) owing to the European prostitutes housed here during the British Raj, the lane is now known as Cursetji Shuklaji Street. The first Venereal Disease Clinic of Bombay was opened in 1916, taken over by BMC in 1925. Near by at Bachchuseth ki Wadi on Foras Road, was famous for its kothewalis or tawaif
s and mujra
s.
When the British left India, the Indian sex worker
s took over. In recent decades, large numbers of Nepal
ese women and girls have also been trafficked into the district as sex workers. Over the years under Indian government rule, sex industry in Kamathipura continued to flourish, and trafficking brought women from different part of the country here, and eventually it became Asia's largest sex district.
Today, it is said that there are so many brothel
s in the area, that there is no space for the sex workers to sit in. They hang around in the streets, solicit customers and then rent an available bed. The 3,000 odd buildings in the area are largely dilapidated and in urgent need of repairs, plus safe drinking water and sanitation is scarce as well.
The late Mr. Linganna Puttal Pujari (1915–1999), who migrated to Mumbai
from Nizamabad
in Andhra Pradesh
in the year 1928, a prominent social worker and city and state legislator, was largely responsible for most of the civic amenities available to the residents of Kamathipura today.
Some historical sources point out that the origin of slums, subsequently the red-light areas of Mumbai
(previously Bombay) including Kamathipura is related to land acquisition, from the indigenous locals who were evicted from their farmlands and cattle-fields and forced themselves to live in congested conditions, for the development of the industrial harbor city. At the early stages, people accumulated in the new slums partly depended on constructions contracts. But later, as men became unemployed due to lack of job, more and more women turned up selling themselves in the red-streets of the town for livelihood. Now these streets are just playgrounds for human traffickers and mafia in addition to the economic refugees who came to these areas during the past years. Even in the 1970s and early '80s Bachchu Wadi at Kamathipura was frequented by gangleaders from Mumbai underworld, such as Haji Mastan
, Karim Lala
, and Dawood Ibrahim
.
In 2005, with state-wide ban on dance bar
s, many dancing girls who could find other means of income, moved to outright prostitution in order to survive, in Mumbai's red-light districts, like Kamathipura. According to police, in 2005, there were 100,000 prostitutes working out of five-star hotels and brothels across Mumbai.
The area also home to a small cottage industry of about 200 women who make a living rolling beedi
s (hand-rolled Indian cigarette).
The area has 55,936 voters in 2007, out of which 15,000 were Muslims, 6,500 Telugu
s and the rest are Marathi
and North Indians.
An in-depth study of the red light area and the pattern of functioning reflect the dehumanizing situation that the commercially sexually exploited women (CSEW) face every day. They are pushed into the trade at a young age, at times even before they attain puberty and thus are not aware of the trap they are falling into. Once in the trade, there is no escape till the brothel keeper has earned well enough through them. Here they are subjected to physical and mental torture if they refuse to abide by the wishes of the keeper. As most women have no formal education, they have no knowledge of how much they earn. When they are allowed to leave the set-up, they are most probably a victim of life threatening diseases like AIDS, without any place to go to. Thus in all probability, they will continue in the area and start soliciting and earning. Once trapped in the trade, women get pulled into a vicious circle from which escape is difficult. They get succor through the contacts with various organizations working in the area. They form the bridge for them to develop linkage with the outside world, which also form the support system to the women, should they choose to move out of the trade.
Many organizations work in Kamatipura, dealing with various aspects like rescue of minors, dealing with health awareness and treatment with special focus on AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, providing counseling services, de-addiction programs, skill development and training etc. Some organizations help in taking care of the children of the CSEWs by providing full time care, protection and education through the day/night care shelters or residential homes away from the red light area.
Government organization like MDAX has played a very prominent role in generating awareness on HIV/AIDS through the assistance provided in providing free literature and organizing various street campaigns.
There are many organizations working in Kamatipura. To name a few: Navjeevan Centre an undertaking Marthoma Church, CCDT, Prerna, Oasis India, Jyothi kailash, SAI, Bombay Teen Challenge, Stop Sex Slavery, Salvation Army, Apne Aap etc. Each organisation has independent specific goals which could be health, education or overall rehabilitation of the CSEW and/ or their children.
Since 2005, the Sanghamitra collective, run by and for the sex workers of Kamatipura, has provided practical assistance to women in the sex trade as well as helping to rescue children and trafficked women from the brothels.
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
: कामाठीपुरा) is Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
's oldest and Asia's largest red-light district
Red-light district
A red-light district is a part of an urban area where there is a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc...
. It was first settled after 1795 with the construction of various causeways that connected the erstwhile seven islands of Bombay
Seven islands of Bombay
The seven islands of Bombay were an archipelago of islands that were, over a span of five centuries, connected to form the area of the modern city of Mumbai in India. The seven islands were gradually physically united through land reclamation projects...
, initially known as Lal Bazaar, it got its name from the Kamathis
Kamathis
Kamathis are a group of people from Mumbai, India who had migrated to the city from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. In 1795, the Maratha army defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad. Following this, many artisans and construction workers from Andhra Pradesh migrated to Bombay and settled into the flats...
(workers) of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
state, who as labourers on construction sites. Then in 1880s it turned into a "comfort zone" for British troops, during British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. However due to tough police crackdown, in late 1990s with the rise of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, and government's redevelopment policy that helped sex workers to move out of the profession and subsequently out of Kamathipura, the number of sex workers in the area have dwindled, in 1992, as Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) records there were 50,000 sex workers her which reduced to 1,600 in 2009, with many sex worker migrating to other areas in Mumbai like n Mulund, Bhandup
Bhandup
Bhandup is a suburb of Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, in the state of Maharashtra, India and is also the name of a railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway on the Central Railway line....
and Ghatkopar
Ghatkopar
Ghatkopar is a suburban neighbourhood of eastern Mumbai. It is also a railway station serviced by Central Railway line of the Mumbai suburban railway.-History:...
, and real estate developer taking over the high priced real estate.
History
Hornby Vellard
The Hornby Vellard was a project to build a causeway uniting all seven islands of Bombay into a single island with a deep natural harbour. The project was started by the governor William Hornby in 1782 and all islands were linked by 1838...
project in 1784, that build a causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
uniting all seven islands of Bombay
Seven islands of Bombay
The seven islands of Bombay were an archipelago of islands that were, over a span of five centuries, connected to form the area of the modern city of Mumbai in India. The seven islands were gradually physically united through land reclamation projects...
was initiated under William Hornby, Governor of Bombay (1771 -1784), plugged the Great Breach in Mahalaxmi
Mahalaxmi
Mahalaxmi can refer to:* Mahalaxmi : the Hindu goddess of wealth and patron goddess of the city of Kolhapur, Maharashtra.* Mahalaxmi : a location in the city of Mumbai....
, while the subsequent Bellasis Road causeway joined Mazagaon
Mazagaon
Mazagaon, also spelled Mazgaon and Mazagon , and pronounced by the Catholics as 'Mazgon' or 'Maz-a-gon' and the Marathi-speakers as Mazhgav. It is one of the seven islands of Mumbai. It is part of South Mumbai and can be reached by Byculla Station on the Central railway line and Dockyard Road...
and Malabar Hill
Malabar Hill
Malabar Hill, a hillock in southern Mumbai , India is an extremely upmarket residential area, most known for the Walkeshwar Temple which houses the Banganga Tank. Situated at a height of 50 metres Malabar Hill, a hillock in southern Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India is an extremely upmarket...
in 1793. This resulted in several low-lying marshy areas of Mumbai Flats like Byculla, Tardeo
Tardeo
Tardeo or Tardeo Road is a residential and commercial locality of South Mumbai, from Nana Chowk to Haji Ali Junction...
, Mahalaxmi
Mahalaxmi
Mahalaxmi can refer to:* Mahalaxmi : the Hindu goddess of wealth and patron goddess of the city of Kolhapur, Maharashtra.* Mahalaxmi : a location in the city of Mumbai....
and Kamathipura opening up for inhabitation. Thereafter starting 1795, Kamathis
Kamathis
Kamathis are a group of people from Mumbai, India who had migrated to the city from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. In 1795, the Maratha army defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad. Following this, many artisans and construction workers from Andhra Pradesh migrated to Bombay and settled into the flats...
(workers) of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
state, working as labourers on construction sites began settling here, giving the area its present name. It was bounded by Bellasis Road on the north, by Grant Road
Grant Road
Grant Road , named after Sir Robert Grant, the Governor of Bombay between 1835 and 1839, is currently a suburban railway station and former terminus of the erstwhile Bombay Baroda and Central India Railway...
on the south and the main road across, Falkland Road. At one point during this period it was also home to a Chinese community, which worked as dockhands and ran restaurants.Though by late 19th century it all changed.
Between 1880s and 1920s, the area was gradually turned into official "comfort zone" of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for their troops and guest. Till then as previous 1864 Census figures for Bombay indicate, other areas had a larger population of prostitutes, like Girgaum (1,044), Phanaswadi (1,323) and Oomburkharee (1,583) compared with Kamathipura (601), all which declined after 1864. This small region boasted the most exotic consorts. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, a large number of women and girls from continental Europe
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
were trafficked
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
into Kamathipura, where they worked as prostitutes servicing both British soldiers and local India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n men. Gradual, social stratification
Social stratification
In sociology the social stratification is a concept of class, involving the "classification of persons into groups based on shared socio-economic conditions ... a relational set of inequalities with economic, social, political and ideological dimensions."...
also took place in the coming years, in fact a busy road in Kamathipura was known as Safed Gully (White Lane) owing to the European prostitutes housed here during the British Raj, the lane is now known as Cursetji Shuklaji Street. The first Venereal Disease Clinic of Bombay was opened in 1916, taken over by BMC in 1925. Near by at Bachchuseth ki Wadi on Foras Road, was famous for its kothewalis or tawaif
Tawaif
A tawaif was a courtesan who catered to the nobility of South Asia, particularly during the era of the Mughal Empire.The tawaifs contributed to music, dance, theatre, film, and the Urdu literary tradition.-History:...
s and mujra
Mujra
Mujra is a form of dance originated by tawaif during the Mughal era. incorporated elements of the native classical Kathak dance onto music such as thumris and ghazals or poems of those from other Mughal cultures such as Bahadur Shah Zafar. Mujra was traditionally performed at mehfils and in...
s.
When the British left India, the Indian sex worker
Sex worker
A sex worker is a person who works in the sex industry. The term is usually used in reference to those in the sex industry that actually provide such sexual services, as opposed to management and staff of such industries...
s took over. In recent decades, large numbers of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
ese women and girls have also been trafficked into the district as sex workers. Over the years under Indian government rule, sex industry in Kamathipura continued to flourish, and trafficking brought women from different part of the country here, and eventually it became Asia's largest sex district.
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
s in the area, that there is no space for the sex workers to sit in. They hang around in the streets, solicit customers and then rent an available bed. The 3,000 odd buildings in the area are largely dilapidated and in urgent need of repairs, plus safe drinking water and sanitation is scarce as well.
The late Mr. Linganna Puttal Pujari (1915–1999), who migrated to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
from Nizamabad
Nizamabad district
Nizamabad District is located in the north-western region in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is also known as Induru. Nizamabad is the current and official name of the district....
in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
in the year 1928, a prominent social worker and city and state legislator, was largely responsible for most of the civic amenities available to the residents of Kamathipura today.
Some historical sources point out that the origin of slums, subsequently the red-light areas of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
(previously Bombay) including Kamathipura is related to land acquisition, from the indigenous locals who were evicted from their farmlands and cattle-fields and forced themselves to live in congested conditions, for the development of the industrial harbor city. At the early stages, people accumulated in the new slums partly depended on constructions contracts. But later, as men became unemployed due to lack of job, more and more women turned up selling themselves in the red-streets of the town for livelihood. Now these streets are just playgrounds for human traffickers and mafia in addition to the economic refugees who came to these areas during the past years. Even in the 1970s and early '80s Bachchu Wadi at Kamathipura was frequented by gangleaders from Mumbai underworld, such as Haji Mastan
Haji Mastan
Haji Mastan Mirza, popularly known as Haji Mastan or Bawa, was a Bombay gangster and smuggler in the 1960s and 1970s. Mastan became the first celebrity gangster of the city, expanding his clout in the film industry. As Mastan's influence in Bollywood grew, he began to produce films...
, Karim Lala
Karim Lala
Karim Lala , born as Abdul Karim Sher Khan in Kunar province of Afghanistan, was popularly known as the 'don of Mumbai' in India. He is widely recognized as the founder and pioneer of the Indian mafia in the Mumbai area...
, and Dawood Ibrahim
Dawood Ibrahim
Dawood Ibrahim , also known as Dawood Ebrahim, and Sheikh Dawood Hassan, is the head of the organized crime syndicate [[D-Company]] in Mumbai. He is currently on the wanted list of Interpol for organised crime and counterfeiting. He was No. 4 on the Forbes' World's Top 10 most dreaded criminals...
.
In 2005, with state-wide ban on dance bar
Dance bar
The term dance bar is used in India to refer to bars in which adult entertainment in the form of dances by relatively well-covered women are performed for male patrons in exchange for cash. Though dance bars were banned in the Maharashtra state, in August 2005, with the passing of the Police Bill,...
s, many dancing girls who could find other means of income, moved to outright prostitution in order to survive, in Mumbai's red-light districts, like Kamathipura. According to police, in 2005, there were 100,000 prostitutes working out of five-star hotels and brothels across Mumbai.
The area also home to a small cottage industry of about 200 women who make a living rolling beedi
Beedi
A beedi is a thin, South Asian cigarette filled with tobacco flake and wrapped in a tendu leaf tied with a string at one end.The word comes from beeda, Marwari for a leaf wrapped in betel nuts, herbs, and condiments....
s (hand-rolled Indian cigarette).
Demographics
Kamatipura is divided into roughly 14 lanes, and also divided according to regional and linguistic backgrounds of the sex worker. Majority of sex workers are immigrants from other Indian states and also from Nepal and Bangladesh. There is little interaction between different area, which makes it harder for social organizations to organize them into a movement or union. Further with lack of public opinion, political leadership or social activism which is empathetic towards them, means have a tough time forming unions.The area has 55,936 voters in 2007, out of which 15,000 were Muslims, 6,500 Telugu
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
s and the rest are Marathi
Marathi people
The Marathi people or Maharashtrians are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, that inhabit the Maharashtra region and state of western India. Their language Marathi is part of the southern group of Indo-Aryan languages...
and North Indians.
NGOs in Kamatipura
A lot of literature is available about the various socio- economic political aspects of prostitution. However very little information is available on the various government and non-governmental effort made to help this section of the population in leading a dignified life.An in-depth study of the red light area and the pattern of functioning reflect the dehumanizing situation that the commercially sexually exploited women (CSEW) face every day. They are pushed into the trade at a young age, at times even before they attain puberty and thus are not aware of the trap they are falling into. Once in the trade, there is no escape till the brothel keeper has earned well enough through them. Here they are subjected to physical and mental torture if they refuse to abide by the wishes of the keeper. As most women have no formal education, they have no knowledge of how much they earn. When they are allowed to leave the set-up, they are most probably a victim of life threatening diseases like AIDS, without any place to go to. Thus in all probability, they will continue in the area and start soliciting and earning. Once trapped in the trade, women get pulled into a vicious circle from which escape is difficult. They get succor through the contacts with various organizations working in the area. They form the bridge for them to develop linkage with the outside world, which also form the support system to the women, should they choose to move out of the trade.
Many organizations work in Kamatipura, dealing with various aspects like rescue of minors, dealing with health awareness and treatment with special focus on AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, providing counseling services, de-addiction programs, skill development and training etc. Some organizations help in taking care of the children of the CSEWs by providing full time care, protection and education through the day/night care shelters or residential homes away from the red light area.
Government organization like MDAX has played a very prominent role in generating awareness on HIV/AIDS through the assistance provided in providing free literature and organizing various street campaigns.
There are many organizations working in Kamatipura. To name a few: Navjeevan Centre an undertaking Marthoma Church, CCDT, Prerna, Oasis India, Jyothi kailash, SAI, Bombay Teen Challenge, Stop Sex Slavery, Salvation Army, Apne Aap etc. Each organisation has independent specific goals which could be health, education or overall rehabilitation of the CSEW and/ or their children.
Since 2005, the Sanghamitra collective, run by and for the sex workers of Kamatipura, has provided practical assistance to women in the sex trade as well as helping to rescue children and trafficked women from the brothels.
External links
- The day my God died - Documentary by PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
- Frontline interview with Raney Aronson
- Frontline - INDIA - The Sex Workers, 2004
- Watch YouTube documentary on a school in Kamathipura