Taboo: The Hidden Culture of a Red Light Area

by Fouzia Saeed

The book is a journey of discovery into the infamous red light district of Lahore, Pakistan, known as the Shahi Mohalla (the Royal Bazaar), of Heera Mandi (the market of diamonds). The phenomenon of prostitution coupled with music and dance performances had ancient roots in South Asia.
Regardless of the stigma attached to prostitution, it has given birth for centuries to many well known performing artists. The book paints a more realistic picture of the phenomenon through the stories of the people living the musicians, the prostitutes, and their pimps, managers and
customers.

Genres: Nonfiction, Pakistan, Sociology, Prostitution

355 pages, Hardcover

First published November 22, 2001

Reviews

[Mahnoor Asif · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this book from International Urdu Conference 2021

A detailed and decent account about the
people inhabiting Shahi Mohalla in Lahore. Heera Mandi is a part of Shahi Mohalla, where mostly prostitutes live and carry out their profession.

At the start of the book, the author discusses the struggle and opposition she faced when she announced her research of Lahore's red-light area. Mostly the backlash she received is from the bureaucrat community.

Later she succeeded in her research of Red light area and published the results in form of a book named 'Taboo'.

The whole book is like storytelling. With each page, you get an insight into the lives of dwellers of the Red light area. Laila, Chanda, Pami, Rani all of them have distinct unfortunate stories. The author explained different communities living in Shahi Mohalla i.e; Kanjars, Tawaif, and Mirasi mainly.

I liked the whole book and enjoyed reading every part of it. I love the author's analysis at last about the spread of prostitution, the origin of prostitution. I agree with fouzia's point of involvement of elite people in keeping the world's oldest profession ‘prostitution’ intact. But there must be other reasons behind prostitution being practiced to date despite strict laws and police checks on such areas.

[Anum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This an intriguing book detailing a woman's view of the Red Light District of Lahore. It is literally like look into a test-tube from the outside as the many secrets and cultures of the notorious neighbourhood in Lahore.

We are taken on a journey through a real-life distopia, where women rule and men obey, women are the sellers and men are the buyers, but still it is sad to see that even here it comes out too clear for our liking that women are being oppressed. It is a haunting account of the lives of the women who live in the 'Shahi Mohala' and how their culture is still part of ours.

[sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

decent book...dancing girls of lahore was better..
good research...written from a completely feminist perspective..so don't completely agree w/ the author's theories...easy read, but redundant at parts...
~~
haha having gone through a women n gender studies program..i think i need to revise my review..as now i'm more comfortable w/ the term feminist..and i dont recall why i wrote that...reread the book?

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saeed’s book is really a study of the Red Light District of Lahore, Pakistan. It is a story about a group of people who should not exist under the law of the land, and whose way of life is threaten and changed by those same laws.
Traditionally, prostitution and singing/dancing were linked in Pakistan (according to Saeed) but over time the women in the district realize that it isn’t the traditional songs and dancing that attract the men, and traditional music gives way to Bollywood hits.
Furthermore, the power structure shifts. In the District, a girl is more highly prized because she will be able to continue the family tradition (i.e. prostitution). This is because the musicians are men from another family line (caste) than prostitutes.
What Saeed reveals is how both prostitution and traditional role of women is constricting and dehumanizing. If you are interested in the debate over legalization of prostitution, you should read this book.

[Hamza Shafiq · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Taboo was a good insight into the world of Pakistan's most notorious Red light district. It painted a very Mughal-esque picture of the whole ordeal, and using narratives from the local community really did leave a mark on how everything came together.

However, I do have a few reservations about this. I didn't really find the whole book as objective as the author initially wanted it to be, rather an amalgamation of epiphanies and 'eureka' moment she had as her experience grew. This is why, although I enjoyed going through the book, I would not recommend it as a chief insight into the world of prostitution in Pakistan.

Laila's story and her transition were, of course, heart-breaking at the very least. All of it, the whole system, was rigged from the beginning. But I feel that only understanding the root cause (Patriarchy, as per the author) isn't really enough to just make 'the bad' go away. This warrants more indulgence on the matter, perhaps start off with reforms in the law that support or grants the 'victims' of this trade with Human rights so that at the end of the day, the privilege of having 'The Law' on your end at least gives you the hope that not all is lost.

[Hasan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taboo is one of a kind for me in that it's the only book that I have read on this topic so far. Fouzia Saeed has managed to reproduce her interaction with the people living in the Shahi Mohalla without bias or judgement; indeed, at times it seems morally bland. This however, is a reason to celebrate this book.

The book comprises of the author's interactions with the people in the Shahi Mohalla and it does lead to a better understanding of the sub-culture that once prevailed in that place. That music and dancing were intricately linked with this business in that community had entered my consciousness but I had never paid serious attention to it.

There are a few heart wrenching stories within these pages. Cruelty, that man is only too happy to visit upon another being figures. Our political masters and the Police, that promote prostitution on the hand, and condemn it on the other are discussed. However, most of the book tells the stories of the people from the Shahi Mohalla the author formed a relationship with.

Perhaps more than anything else, I have found this book interesting for it lays bare the double standards that Pakistanis are prone to apply when it comes to the two sexes. We use different rulers, different weights to judge the gravity of an action. It seems as if women are usually the extension of a male's social portfolio, belonging to him in some sense. One can accuse me of exaggeration on this account but there is a degree of truth in that statement but it confirms what I have observed and found absurd in the past.

Must I lament the needless misery that is to be fate of so many in this sick society? I must.

[Nouman Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

If one has exposure to social media, and feminist literature, they shouldn't approach this book with the objective of understanding the reasons behind prostitution and why it is tabooed. The book is largely silent on it, and even towards the end, where it goes into the reasons, those are largely superficial - you probably know about them already and there isn't much new to learn.

What this book is good at doing is humanizing the people and culture of shahi mohallah. It gives a good glimpse into that culture at the time when that culture was about to fade away. In that respect, it is similar to Louise Brown's 'The Dancing Girls of Lahore'. What makes this book great is also its author. Fouzia Saeed has approached the subject with the utmost empathy. If it weren't for that voice, this book would have simply not worked. One particular part which really struck out to me was where Fouzia Saeed describes the Tibbi gali as a haunted place where a death storm had just passed away.

It is probably one of the most extensive documentation of one of the defining sub-cultures of Pakistan, and hence, it should be afforded the corresponding level of attention from Pakistani readers. This is the actual Pakistan with its totally unabashed chaos and contradictions.

[RachelAnne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The subject-matter is rich and fascinating, but I found the author's handling of her material a little disappointing. While I understand that she was trying for an informal tone, I would have appreciated a bit more exposition upfront about the social structure of the Mohalla. Also, there were several passages where polemic is disguised as a long conversation in which everyone agrees with one another.

[Amishi Agrawal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this book in my university’s library and it immediately caught my attention. Being from India, I could understand a lot of the context that was shared by. Dr. Saaed. Prostitution is indeed mythicised and at the same time shunned in South Asia. This book is exemplifies the kind of research I one day I hope to do - progressive, radical and truly revolutionary. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about prostitution and/or women’s issues in South Asia.

Glad to have found another women I can aspire to be like 10 years from now.

[Shoaib · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taboo: The hidden culture of Red-Light Area is based on 8 years of field research by Dr. Fauzia Saeed into the famous Red-Light district of Lahore, commonly know as the “Shahi Mohalla” or Heera Mandi (Diamond Market). The author peers into the lives of the prostitutes, their pimps, managers, customers and family’s dependent on the livelihood of the prostitutes.

The author presents the real accounts of the prostitutes of the Mohallah with their true stories of their lives and unveils the hidden culture of the areas and the specific hidden terms used by the prostitutes and the pimps that most of the common people are unaware of.

The author’s journey to pen this book survived criticisms and disapproval that she faced at the hands of her acquaintances, family, friends and co-workers who did not like her project and how she was intimated the he police by carrying out her field research.

This book attempts to capture the true stories of the of community residing in the Shahi Mohallah and their plight to make day-to-day living by following the same footsteps their ancestors had been following since centuries.

This book helps to enhance our understanding of the power relations associated with gender roles throughout our society.

[Ayesha U · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Taboo: The Hidden Culture of Red Light Area because the author spent several hours talking, interviewing and researching in the red light area of Lahore for this book.

This book gave me an idea about how tough, ugly and unpredictable life was for those involved in this trade. The author also humanizes the story of some of the women she interacted with. What I gathered from that book was that majority of women wanted to have a normal life, married and raising children of their own but their past would always come to haunt them. Basically, once in this trade, there was no escape for them.

It is a poignant read and the reader feel sympathetic for these women instead of hating them for their job.

[Paras · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taboo is thorough, well researched and backed by facts and history. In addition, it not only provides insights to the lifestyle of residents of Shahi Muhalla but also narrates the stories of several prostitutes, their dreams, aspirations and the bonds Fouzia develops with the residents along with time, thus keeping you engaged till the very end.

Read full review here: http://ofcoffeeconversations.wordpres...

[Hammad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good and thorough research into a topic avoided by the “civilised” people of the society because perhaps it would expose them and their hypocrisy. Music dance and sex is and will always be part of our culture - trying to pretend otherwise is hypocrisy. Lahore’s red light area has produced some phenomenal artists and it deserves respect and protection.

Brave study by a brave intellectual. Thank you!

[Rshaikh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book based on a Socioligists time spent in the "Red Light District" in Pakistan. The culture the tradition and the cruelties imposed on women who are prostitutes. The societies that look the other way from such atrocities being committed being the same that frequent the area and make it profitable. A real look at prostitution in Pakistan and in South Asia overall...

[Mehvish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book!

[Anum · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some books which break the stereotypes you have ingrained and provide you an insight that changes the way you see yourself and the world around you. This book “TABOO: the hidden culture of red light area” is one of those books. We have all heard the word “prostitute”, mostly as a slang but nonetheless we   often hear it, but it is rarely that we think of them as humans as part of the society. Talking about prostitutes is one thing even thinking about them is a taboo. Fouzia, the author of book has penned down the life of these prostitutes beautifully, talking about the social hierarchy that exists there, the problems they face and how this very act has been institutionalized over the year. This book is not just a story or research it is amalgamation of both. Reading this book will help you understand the nexus between prostitution and performing arts, the contribution of Lahore’s Shahi Mohalla to the entertainment industry. When you start reading it, you feel as if you have been transported to another world, where life is different yet the struggles are same. The world where economic considerations make the girl more important, the world with dreams and aspirations that are mostly forbidden in our society, it’s not just about the act of intimacy, but dancing and singing. The book also sheds light on how the government policies impacted this area over the years and how the Mohalla is deteriorating over the years. My favorite part was the last chapter of the book, where the writer brings in the anthropologist within her and describes how patriarchy has institutionalized prostitution in South Asia, “the good women and bad women” notion that exists in society to control the women to behave in certain ways, the scope is not just limited to women in prostitution but women in general and how patriarchy portrays each. One concept that is discussed here and had always been in my mind is acceptability of abuses containing females, their body parts, and their sexuality. There is also emphasizes on the use of morality as a means to control sexuality of a women and her expression, which made me eager to read more sociological and anthropological books to understand the world and society better. I will conclude the review the way the book has been concluded “Two sides of the same coin, one sold in the Mohalla as a “bad woman” in the name of sin and the other sold in as a “good women” in the name of honor and morality, both fulfilling roles laid out for them by the same patriarchal system.

[PB · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fouzia Saeed is a violently whorephobic feminist writer. She starts off the book by stating that she refuses to use the term sex work but will use the term prostitution because she is desperate to create cultural hierarchies between workers "from the East and West". By the end of the book, she engages in classed hierarchies; she states that it is the mid-level workers in the Mohalla who are the most stigmatized even though she clearly states that nobody wants to "descend to the level of the beggar prostitutes".

These are moral stances couched in feminist language. By sanitizing the erotic labor of people in the Mohalla (and worldwide!) and only choosing to value certain people for a certain kind of labor they produce - in this case, the Classical Arts - she engages in sex work exclusionary feminism and whorephobia. Her feminist commentary is Liberal feminism 101 which is to say, bland at best, and violent against the community she is reporting.

She also dedicates barely a mention of Khawja Sira (third gender folks) in the very end of her book.

What IS valuable about the book is her verbatim transcription of the interviews of her subjects (though I think they have been edited for marketing purposes). They talk about police brutality, both in the forms of arrests and how much bribes they need to be kept off bay. There is the delineation between indoor/outdoor workers, and the different stigma different workers face re: their economic status. There is conversations around decriminalization ("we just want to be left alone to do our jobs in peace"), a claiming of cultural labor ("The [famous] musician are ours, the [famous] dancers are ours, the [famous] songs are ours, and the teacher are ours."), and a clear paradigm of understanding the contexts of marriage as erotic labor (what would be considered "sugaring" in the West). And lastly, the tension of how cultural arts evolve in the face of stigma against erotic labor, the fight to keep old traditions alive, and how matriarchal communities can be the last safeguard against eroding, patriarchal forces.

[Ashish Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The word Taboo! is a strange thing in itself, just like Prestige, it is mostly used to control the sexuality of women.

Some of the characters of this book are Kaisara, Laila, Chanda, Pami, Bhooba, Faiza Ruba, Razia, Jamila, Nargis, Shamsa and Salo. Through all these, the society of Hiramandi and the surrounding areas of Pakistan can be easily understood, which people call Shahi Mohalla, also known as. Author Fauzia Saeed wrote this during research while working at the Aga Khan Foundation.

The last 2 chapters in which there is discussion only about this society, one of which is Fauzia's conversation with Paul Amin, through which there is a long discussion on the life of courtesans in Pakistan and before that in India, which is also very good on the basis of information, in the last chapter. Chanda Fauzia and Faiza's conversation will make you think deeply. At many places, people will be seen tearing the society to shreds.

You see words finding life in the author's characters and their conversations, whose existence will be so strong that when you read it, you will feel that this was meant to happen? While reading the entire book, one can see all these groups of politicians and officers at many places, who are concerned about their own work, for which they go to the red light area only after fixing their time at night. All these sex workers are evidence of these people having hypocrite life and hypocrite mentality.

The society in this Red-light area is the same as the one around us, only we consider them different whereas the people of our own society want to go to them and make their lives better and want to be happy. In the red light area , their dreams are very small and innocent, for which you should take a tour of the royal locality once with the words of this book and you will get a chance to come face to face with their life.

Many times the book ends but the characters remain with you.

[Aiesha Aq · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the book is the first of its kind to explore the Shahi Mohalla I feel like the author could have delved deeper into her research material and built up some more nuance in her conclusions. Oftentimes, it felt like she was just narrating her personal views/interactions without a deeper sociological analysis. For example, she often quoted about the way that the households talked about "rizq" and how God ordains it through hardwork, but she never delved or tried exploring how these people practice religion or contend against the criticism they face from religious groups. Similarly, she concluded in the end that both the married, respectable woman in Pakistan and the sexworker is trapped in a system where there is no choice for them. But she never explores the matriarchal leanings of the Shahi Mohalla women (like how they follow a matrilineal system of heritage, or how they condemn marriage and perceive it as slavery?) and how it is progressive in some ways? There were some very basic ideas and notions of feminism narrated in the last chapter and I was quite dissapointed tbh. Also a lot of important historical and cultural context seemed to be missing (like the role of Khwajasira in the Shahi Muhalla, the laws which were passed during 1857 and how they impacted courtesans). Overall, I still would rate the book 3/5 because it did provide a glimpse into the lives of the women of the Muhalla and helped to demystify the image of this place.

[Zoya Fateh muhammad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, finished this so emotionally intense book last night. It’s kind a book which indulges you wholly in the lives of its characters. Through an intriguing description, makes you feel what characters experience. It is a wonderful thing, no doubt. You laughs instinctively at their jokes, we dreams with them and get happy with them. But then, there are also those terrible moments or experiences which make you suffer too. As this book is sort of a window to the lives and miseries of prostitutes so of course, there are more terrible moments than laughable. However, unlike life, we can distance ourselves and take a break from that miseries. I think, this is the reason I took a bit long to read it completely.
Overall, this book gives best and authentic insights about whole tradition of prostitution and its link with classical music and dance. Also, how and why business of prostitution was created at first place. And yes, it also describes that why prostitutes are stigmatized and why not their customers. Very informative!
Highly recommended to everyone!

Warning: It can makes you uncomfortable and depressed with some very very realistic bitter truths as well.

[Zain Najam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book by Fouzia Saeed is incredibly illuminating and very important in the context of a country that, on one hand, decries prostitution, and on the other, has a significant population that continues to serve as the clientele of the same industry.
It’s refreshing to see how the lives of the residents of Shahi Mohalla are approached in a totally unbiased and unprejudiced manner. I genuinely believe this type of research can prove to be very beneficial in dispelling harmful narratives against sex workers.
Another excellent thing about this book is that it’s approached not in a strictly academic manner but is rather a recollection of the author’s frequent visits to the Shahi Mohalla district. This allows the reader to see people working in the sex trade as humans who are very similar to them in their lifestyle. There was certainly a lack of a thorough analysis but it was a very fascinating read nonetheless. The takeaway is that we should acknowledge sex workers as a part of our society and not try to alienate and ostracise them, which paves way to their marginalisation and never truly eradicates prostitution.

[Huzaifa Usf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally after many Years of searching, found this book at Lahore the most interesting thing about this book is that the writer explains her own experiences about how she got to interact with inhabitants of Shahi Muhalla.

At the beginning however, it was so tough to get into their community but she succeeded. How she faced issues from big bulls.

This book not only focuses on the prostitutes but also tries to get the focus on the customers. How Shahi Muhalla is not just a place for Prostitution but also a place of Art. (Music,Dancing)
Lives of some girls are discussed in it. How she changes the perspective of her cousins about Shahi Muhalla.

The beautiful thing was some of her discussions at the end of a few chapters with different people from our societies.
But
what can one say Arent We all the same. Arent we all somehow involved in it.

A Must Read Book. 10/10

[Abdul Raheem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some people disapprove of this book based on the feminist style and interpretation, but with the screwed up society we live in, which enslaved women to "honor", it would be ridiculous and unreasonable to disregard this book on that. ( this further demonstrate the systematic oppression of women)

Anyway, this book tells the story about "hera mandi" also known as shahi mohalla (Red District). It tells the story through the lives of prostitutes, pimps, managers, and people entangled in the area.

The book message can be summed up with the quote from Chanda, a prostitute in the area.
" Gashti, this system has given us such a low status that they've turned us into bloody swear words, but still they come to us for their kicks".

[Captain]

1) I would kill Soni's father with my bare hands
2) Informative certainly, however, I felt that certain narratives offered great opportunities for interesting insights that the author didn't utilise. I can't say for certain if it's because the author wanted the reader to come to their own conclusions or if they were genuinely missed opportunities on the author's part
3) The book would've benefitted from another round of editing
3) I hope the author compensated the people she used in her research in some way (monetary or otherwise)

[bookssheread · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this eventhough I tend to eventually get bored while reading non-fiction. The way the book is written is truly remarkable because at no point does it go dry. She is researching an area and could have gone very statistical and clinical in the way she talked about the stories and her findings. I really appreciated that she wrote in an honest yet detached way where I could see the researcher in her but at the same time see the passion she held for this project.

The stories of each individual regardless of their profession, social standing etc. was told with such beauty, they were each assigned the respect that they deserved.

[Muhammad Jahangeer Thaheem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is brilliant piece of writing by Fouzia Saeed. It shows the true picture of RED LIGHT area of Lahore. The thing that attract the readers is the pathetic condition of women lived there, and the only option for survival to sell their bodies. Government never did any positive work to make their lives easy. Though they always impose restrictions on music and art.

[Noor ul Ain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really informative book which was not boring at all. I would have given it 4 stars but the ending was very very forced. The dialogue at the end seemed like a forced role play which I did not like at all. The author draws some interesting conclusions. I will love to know what happened to all the characters in the book.

[Mudasir Hussain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always knew in my subconscious mind that prostitution can not be a choice. It's a compulsion. But I was always confused whether it is a good thing or bad. Now I have my answers. Fozia Saeed's deeply personal account of Lahori Mohalla is emotionally moving. The book at first raises some questions in your mind and then answers them step by step. Loved it. I wish I had read it earlier.

[Rahim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is well written and interesting, and do make some good points towards the end. I can not say why, but while reading, you can sense the constraint of the writer as a lot of things related to the topic are not openly talked about and just hinted at.

[Nazysh Fattah · Rating 5 out of 5]

what an exceptional book! t is the documentary kinda book on the lives of prostitutes