Singing for their supper brings money but no joy

NEW DELHI, March 29: They sing for their supper, but what they do is not even considered a "job". If they didn't sing and dance, t...

NEW DELHI, March 29: They sing for their supper, but what they do is not even considered a "job". If they didn’t sing and dance, their children would probably starve, but even the children resent their mothers’ occupations. For the prostitutes performing at the Fourth National Festival of Women in Prostitution, the “civilised listeners” at the Sri Ram Centre came as a pleasant surprise.

“When we sing and dance in villages, it is different. The men leer at us, pass comments; there have been times when fights have broken out between two groups. Nobody comes for the music anymore,” says Aruna, of the Muzaffarnagar gharana.

The journey from village performances to the Sri Ram Centre stage has been difficult. There is plenty of talent, but there is also scepticism.

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“Getting these women out of the red light areas is the most difficult thing. They don’t trust anybody and if you go up to them and tell them they sing very well, they ask you what you want,” says Ajit Singh, founder of Guria Swyam SeviSansthan, an organisation working for women in prostitution. Singh founded the organisation in 1993, with some aid from CRY.

Twenty seven-year-old Singh has been living in red light areas for 10 years now, trying to make a difference in the lives of prostitutes and their children. “I am not rehabilitating them, just giving them an alternative. They are all excellent artists. Most of them have learnt from great gharanas but have been reduced to penury. They need to be constantly reminded that they have talent; they need to be appreciated,” Singh adds. The women for their part feel thumri and dadra are not what people want today. “People come to have fun, not to appreciate the music. The days of good mehfils are past and with them the respect for the singers,” says Kalidasi, one of the descendants of the Muzaffarnagar gharana.

However, their faith in Singh is unmistakable. “I came here because I know Ajit and he is one of us. We have faith in him and he is genuine. Every other man we come across isjust waiting to lay his hands on us. Our music is of no consequence to them,” says Radha.

None of the women talk about the circumstances that led them into the red light areas. But they are firm in their resolve to give their children a better future. Each of their children is are in school and are ambitious about the future. And they all detest their mothers’ profession. “If we stopped doing what we are doing, there will be no food at home. I am the bread-winner in the family and yet I am looked down upon because of what I do.” says Aruna.