It’s quarter to 10 in the night when Brijesh Arya and Deepa Nandi get down at Mumbai Central for their scheduled walk. Hardly the ideal time for a stroll, one might think; but not where the duo, along with an expected group of 20-plus enthusiasts is headed. Their destination is one of the few places that start buzzing when maximum city calls it a day — Kamathipura, Mumbai’s infamous red-light district.
Dressed in a bright yellow saree matched with a blinky nose-ring, Deepa exclaims, “I hope everyone comes.” Meanwhile, Brijesh, sweating heavily in his Khadi kurta, is chatting with Bayo didi, a fourth generation pavement dweller and a team leader for Pehchaan, an NGO founded by Brijesh that works for the homeless.
With the group of enthusiasts set to join them soon, Deepa, who is organising the walk for her NGO RaahGeer explains the aim behind this exercise and says, “Our idea is to raise awareness about the living conditions of homeless people. To change the misconceptions that many have and eventually make them participate in out effort to help them.” She’s an architect by profession; but tonight she’s a social worker.
The eclectic group soon starts to gather. They get refreshed after exhausting journeys with chai and cold water arranged for by Bayo didi (Out of her own pockets). Pleasantries exchanged and Bayo didi’s humbling gesture graciously accepted the walk starts.
On reaching opposite Bostan Café, Deepa and Brijesh gave the group quick dos and don’ts instructions and distributed a map of Kamathipura. “As we all know, Kamathipura was a colonial product. But now real estate giants have their eye on this land, and they are trying every possible way to remove the sex workers from here,” explains Deepa.
Wading through curious onlookers and police, the duo managed to bring Salma didi and Sangeeta didi, from their brothels, to meet the group. While Deepa and the group asked them a few questions, Brijesh kept onlookers at bay.
“The real estate contractors are trying every way possible to threaten them and leave the area,” Deepa points out. Sangeeta has been a sex worker for almost a decade. “I live on my own terms here, I earn my own money and I raise my kids. But now goons hired by contractors come and beat us up wherever possible,” she said. “And they hit us on the face because if I get a swollen eye, I won’t have customers,” she added.
Soon, the group had to leave as onlookers refused to go away. Crossing some of the by lanes, the group was led towards satwi gali, where they were introduced to homeless dwellers. “There are about seven families living in this lane,” said Brijesh. The group sat right in the middle of the gully listening to Parvati didi’s story and Rafiq bhai’s laments. The trip came to an end as the group made an exit through Street 11, the lane known for transgender sex workers. They didn’t oblige for photographs. Deepa halted the momentum and threw some light on the living conditions of the sex workers and the quasi-family system of the transgenders.
The tour came a full circle and reached the spot where it started. Before they dispersed, the group gave their heartfelt gratitude to Deepa and Brijesh. In a city of untold stories, this group of strangers turned flaneurs from voyeaurs on this Friday night and touched a lot of hearts, proving once again that it’s not stories, but listeners that we have a dearth of.
