please..dont gimme RED.... light...A.R.E.A.

I always have this little CALVIN’S heart to do the weird things in life. Some of them I can’t even share!!! And because of all this, even today my Maa beats me, with a favourite dialogue ready to be poured on my head. “Sheru has more brains than you… Why on earth you trouble me even at this age??” That’s how my mom turns into Nirupama Roy; and Sheru is our pet dog!! I love my Dad, he will always be there to rescue me.

What I will be sharing here is one of my stupid adventures which took me to a place called “Bhudhawar Peth”, the red-light area of Pune.

Breaking news!!! A 10 year old girl raped by a maniac. “What the hell is wrong with these guys?” such a bad news on a Saturday morning with a heavy head could not get worse for me.
“Aren’t there any brothels where these guys can die with their lust, instead of raping poor souls??” my mood was getting bitter and bitter when Monty came with a cup of coffee.
“Hangover boss!!! Drink this you’ll feel better” he said
“Aren’t you guys serious about this? I mean, how can you’ll be so ill hearted?” I protested. Now in my friends gang, there is only one guy who can counter me in any discussion. That’s my best buddy Sid, rest all prefer to stay away!
“Baba!! are you ever serious about your life, that you have started getting a heart of other people? Have you ever tried to make up at least 1% of what your dad expects from you?” Sid, with a ciggy in his hand puffed questions at me.
“Makes no sense brother!! This has nothing to do with my life..” anger was building in me now
“It does have!! After the hangover, you’ll forget who raped whom. Forget that, have you ever tried to see, how miserable life is, of the people in red-light areas?” Sid was up to something, I could sense!!
“Why should I care?” I was getting confused now
“That’s the problem, you never care!!” he somehow made me to change the topic!!

2 dispirins, 2 cups of coffee and a hot shower, I was fresh as ever. We decided to hang out at our favorite place when all of a sudden I got this desire to see how actually a red-light area looks like. I have seen in films, but spending more than 3 years in Pune, and no trip to the most famous Bhudawar Peth, was a big NO NO for me. I wanted to see, how people live there, what they eat, everything!!

I stopped my bike on the middle of the road, pacchu missed by a whisker banging me, sid showed his finger, monty had closed his eyes!!

“I know, you’ll kill us one day..but what is so special today??” pacchu shouted on top of his voice.
“I want to see Bhudawar Peth” I said

All eyes…angry eyes turned on Sid. He had nothing to say, in fact all were in the direction to Bhudawar Peth. On the way, everybody tried to change my mind, started telling me stories about AIDS, the gundas of that area, how they threaten and mug people. But nothing could change my decision. Soon we were there!! The great Budhawar Peth!! Guess what I have passed by that area innumerable times, but never had an idea, about the actual happens around.

The place is a complete mess!! Lots and lots of people. Most of them come for window shopping (even we were doing the same). My legs were getting numb on every step I was taking. What I witnessed was more shocking than the news that morning. Girls, innocent girls who I guess have not even attained their maturity were kind of drugged to be women!! I was sweating badly, they were so many of them!! Some tried to pull me, some touching my cheeks, falling and I was all hell bent scared. Couple of times I warned them not to touch me and they started laughing as if I had cracked a joke.

We moved forward, and there was a 3 storey building full of people. Somehow I dared to move in, and the first smell I got, made me puke my guts out. I don’t know how to describe how people were living there. Rooms were just 10*10 sqft!! And we crib about pantries not having green tea!! Monty has a fair amount of idea about such areas, he managed to introduced me to one of the sex workers there. I went in, and my first words to her was – “I need to talk!! Just talk..nothing else”. She smiled!! She was so beautiful, I could not imagine what made her to get into this hell!! I wanted to know her work timings, but could not dare to ask that question. All I know is they earn much more than us, but sadly they hardly get to see life what we see. She wanted to become a doctor, but her fate had different plans for her. She likes mobiles and have 3 of them!! All expensive ones!! We talked for about half an hour, but then I had to move, because all in one day was hard for me to handle. She thanked me for the 30 mins I gave her. But still I had to pay her!!

When I came out, my eyes were all wet!! People around and my friends gave a strange look.
“First time?” a guy asked. I nodded my head and moved on!! This was the first time I saw a life which is so different than mine. I get suffocated if I don’t get fresh air even for a minute. Her room had no windows!!
I had to pay her 1000 bucks :), that’s the rate for her time!! and believe me it’s worth it!! Because it’s because of these people at least some of the maniacs don’t fall into dreadful crime. I don’t advocate any of the policy of how this business runs. Neither the way innocent girls are brain washed and forced to enter into this hell.

I stood there for an hour, and could do nothing to help these people. We came back to our room, talked about stuff which has no meaning to life, drank beers, puffed ciggys and slept!! Sid was right, next day I was normal. Didn’t care of whose life is going what way. All I cared was for my happiness and my comfort!! I really would not want to go there again!!

© Vinay Vernekar

PS: Blogspace is where I give words to my imagination. SO everything mentioned here is just a piece of fiction, even if your mind/heart/whatever says it’s true, I say it’s fiction. And if anyone feels hurt after reading any of my posts, then I don’t take any responsibility, you are the reason of your own vulnerability!! Names, places, abbreviations mentioned here purely co-incidental and not meant to anyone; living or dead!!