India’s largest red light area in Kolkata’s Sonagachi inaugurates Durga Puja

Kolkata 

India’s largest red light area in Kolkata’s Sonagachi inaugurated their 14^th Durga Puja on Wednesday (October 14) amid continued resistance and backlash from locals. The sex workers group Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee (DMSC) continue to fight for their rights in the face of persistent social stigma. 

“People always thought sex workers are sub-humans, why do they need to celebrate Durga Puja? Even to get this much space we had to go to the High Court. But problems are far from over, even now locals find new problems with our puja every year,” Bishakha Laskar, secretary of DMSC, told The Hindu during the inauguration ceremony. She said that on the day of the inauguration some locals alleged that their stage was bigger than permitted and tried to create a scuffle. 

Ms. Laskar added that neither locals nor neighbourhood clubs were willing to cooperate with them to organise their own Durga Puja. She said that the sex workers were often judged and looked down upon when they visited other pujas, so they wanted to start their own, despite facing considerable resistance.  

“We organise these events because it is also our safe space. But, one day we hope to become part of the mainstream so that we do not need separate pujas for marginalised people like us. We want to be able to participate in every puja like the rest of the society,” Ismail, the son of a sex worker, said during the ceremony.  

A guest at the event highlighted that a society cannot progress if they do not offer rights to sex workers and treat them as equal citizens. 

The organisers said the number of participants and guests had increased in recent years. Local MLAs, Ministers, social activists, college students, and residents now visit the puja to pay their respects, indicating a wind of change. 

Interestingly, the Durga idol remains incomplete without using a little clay from the courtyard of sex workers. Kumartuli, the city’s prominent potters’ colony, is a stone’s throw away from Sonagachi, and every year artisans traditionally collect clay from the courtyard of sex workers to make Durga idols. Yet, the women whose courtyards contribute to the making of the idols have often felt unwelcome at the pujas where they are worshipped. So, they started their own, and reclaimed their space and agency. 

Mamata-Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh, who was also present at the inauguration, said he will always stand in support of the sex workers and do what he can to make things better for them.

The men who come here to pay for sex and those who traffic women into the sex trade are not questioned, but women who enter sex work have to bear the burden of society’s judgement. How is that okay? A civilised society should not accept this,” Mr Ghosh said.