"Cotton Textile mills" and redevelopment of these properties into palatial malls and recreation centers. Kamathipura,the "Eye-sore" of middle-class Mumbaikar morality is also undergoing a sea-change in the 21st century,a frog leap into the "Global village economy".The awareness of "H.I.V" in the 1980's and death due to "A.I.D'S", has made low-life prostitutes realize the hazards of their profession, a short painful life of endless torture and discrimination once "Sexually Unemployed" or "H.I.V Infected", whichever is earliest!The prostitutes of Kamathipura do not have "Political Patronage" and are not "Registered Voters" of their locality unlike "Slum Dwellers" who have populated Mumbai and are the "King-Makers" of many local electorals, besides being the subject of Oscar winning film, "Slum dog Millionaire" It was a hard hitting reality film of slum lifestyle and ethics. The "Economic Apocalypse-2008/09" sounded the final death gong to the infamous red-light district of Kamathipura whose main source of business commodity are "MEN".Men brothel customers are avoiding visits to prostitutes due to the "A.I.D'S SCARE" as well as "Economic Insolvencies" since many clients are from the lower economic strata of society.The wealthy and educated men usually patronize "Beer dance bars" temporarily banned and re-introduced in 2016 or "Call-Girls" available through the "Internet" and "Cell Phone" services. To the patrons of "Prostitution" , the word "Kamathipura" was akin to "Slumdog Millionaire", an embarrassment to average Indian society, to be hidden from World exposure.For the educated and wealthy,"Yuppie","Puppy" or "Sethia", being seen in "Kamathipura" would be "Professional Suicide", the Indian Dharavi of prostitution.Beginning since 2007, a lot of "Middle-class skyscraper buildings" have come up in the adjacent vicinity of "Kamathipura" ,right next to the ancient infamous historical "VILLA TYPE" brothels with colourful names like "Nos 25","Nos 007", "Hotel G-9" and "Colaba Queens". The next great "Mumbai Redevelopment" scheme after the "Mills land re-development" of the 1990's could be in the "RED-LIGHT DISTRICT" of "KAMATHIPURA" as it is located in prime real estate territory of Mumbai,one of the World's costliest city's.Imagine the cost of "Villa Brothel-No 25", an entire 2-storey building with an attic according to present "Real Estate" prices of 2016 in neighbouring skyscrapers of Kamathipura? Street Economics proves that "LOW-LIFE PROSTITUTION" is no more a profitable business in Mumbai unlike its modern counterpart, the sophisticated "CALL-GIRLS" in the "Internet and cell phone era" of "Globalization". A census shows that there were approximately 30,000 "Sex Workers" in 2002 which has dwindled to approximately 2000 in 2012 ! "KAMATHIPURA" has definitely lost the title of once upon a time being Asia's second largest red light district.Unbelievable in a city whose general population increases yearly.Some of these "VILLA BROTHELS" are a real "Tourist Secret",peculiar only to Mumbai and Calcutta and known only to "Customers",having lavish interior's in crumbling edifices and sad or colourful history's of its occupants,"The Kamathipura Nymphs".Communal harmony in brothels of Kamathipura are a real advertisement in secularism where women, pimps and bouncers ,all belonging to different religions or castes live and work together, their only problem being "Police bribes" and attracting a "Customer base".Religious icons and pictures of Gods,Godesses from every community is displayed in most Brothels, especially at the entrance and the "Customer waiting Rooms" giving some of these places an eerie guilt complex syndrome." Joint 25" as it was known during the 1980/90's is one of the oldest "Villa Brothels" situated in prime Kamathipura locality on the main road. Prior to its repairs this villa resembled a "Ghost Film set", with huge colonial era crumbling rooms supported on bamboo stilts and the wooden staircases just waiting to crumble. Luck or destiny changed the fortunes of "Joint No 25" and its internal reconstruction and refitting was undertaken in 2004/05 under a new "Brothel Management" giving the entire edifice a unbelievable external renovation and internal air-conditioning..The infamous "PALANG THOD(BREAKING THE BED)" sexual act was copyrighted in these brothels,akin to the "Kamasutra" visuals, proving that a person also learnt the art of love-making in these "Pleasure houses of Sex". Joint " N0 25" was the leisure "palace" and a place where all the " 77 POSITIONS" of the famous "Kamasutra" treatise could be practiced without inhibitions. The only stress of trying all the 77 Kamasutra positions was a chance of getting the death sentence,"H.I.V +ve" or dying of a "Sex heart- attack".Honestly, the best death could be a "SEX HEART ATTACK" ! ? A famous " Marathi Rap Song", long before "English Rap music" was invented in Londons streets originated from the "Byculla Boys" of the 1970's era.This "Rap became a "Kamathipura Signature tune advertisement" .Hilarious and absolutely satirical.The " Marathi Rap words" were as follows ,quote, "Sallu Re Sallu Thujya ---- Madhe gallu,Chorus! Sallu Re Sallu Thujya--- Madhe Gallu! Sallu Gela Dilli Pakkad Majya ----. Aree Sallu Gela Dilli Pakkad Majya ---.Chorus(Repeat 3 times)! Sallu Re Sallu Tujya ---Madhe Gallu ."BLANKS" in the songs lyrics are for the readers imagination of "Pornographic Poetry". Translation of the words and tune into "English Language" would make this lyrical brothel signature tune absolutely punch-less and stale.As in life, long after the dust is settled and memories linger, a few of the names of the courtesans of "Joint No 25" remain etched in human memory.
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| Entrance ""JOINT No 25" as seen at night on Monday(31-12-2012). Last of the few majestic brothels in Kamatipura. |
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| "South African Witch Doctor' 2016 Advertisement for "SEXUAL HEALING" and NORMAL HUMAN SICKNESSES and SUPERSTITION |
Christina,Suzy,Dolly.Margaret and Rekha were the most famous "courtesans" of their generation servicing customers in the 1980's and 1990's up-to the early 2000's.Christina later graduated onto becoming the "Madame" of "Nos 25" after the abdication of previous "Madame" Sheila.
Unlike other brothels, the beauty of " Joint Nos 25" was that its courtesans had no inhibitions of performing any sexual act as long as they were paid the money and treated honorably as a "Courtesan lady" and not some common "Caged whore" or "Street walker" which comprise the maximum of Kamatipura's sex workers.
My friend Shantidas was a regular visitor to brothel "Nos 25" which was operated by a Jewish lady named Sheela in the 1970's and 80's and later a christian lady Christina.A final change in ownership in 2001 ,redeveloped this seedy bungalow type brothel into plush air-conditioned brothel cubicles.
Shanti Das had spent numerous nights with different prostitutes from the 1980's upto the present management in 2009 and his depiction of the horror in one room was mind-boggling, definitely not exaggeration to me as we both grew up together and understood when the other delivered "White Lies".
"Joint N0 25" is a legacy of the "British era", built during a period when "Kamatipura" and especially "Joint N0 25" were absolutely high-class leisure rooms for British soldiers and the wealthy, not the typical "H.I.V Infected area" that it has now degenerated in the 21st century.
Shanti Das, once thought that he was making love to the local prostitute whom he hired for the night at Rs 1000 and was thrilled at the ecstasy only to later discover that the actual woman he hired was changing herself and adding perfumes in the adjacent room.
Who was the woman he actually slept with?
Being a well-known face and a regular customer,he made queries but none of the girls fitted his description of the seductress who just vanished into thin air!
Did the brothel management pull a fast joke on Shanti Das?
Definitely no, they stood to gain nothing, just bad publicity in case the news spread that "JOINT N0 25" was haunted and "brothels", even the worst, are always courteous and entertaining to their customers, only priority being money and nothing else.
Would you love to make love in a "HAUNTED HOUSE", even if only in a temporary "BROTHEL ROOM".
Truth is stranger than fiction.
If "Topaz Bar" of Grant road was the ultimate in South Mumbai "Beer Dance Bars" before its closure in 2005 then "Joint Nos 25" could be considered the "Arabian Nights Fantasy" of Mumbai !
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| Friday(23-12-2016) :- Iconic "CAFE BEHRAM BAR AND RESTAURANT" in Kamatipura on the main road. |
Whipping and chain bondage was the ultimate of some freak customers who preferred atoning for their sexual indulgences by self-inflicted sexual extremes.
Suzy was famous for her "Sado-masochistic" sessions which consisted of "Horse-whipping" followed by anal sex and fellatio, whichever the customer preferred.
Dolly and Rekha were the ultimate seductresses, the means of attaining sexual nirvana ,although at a price."Behram Restaurant" situated on the main road just walking distance from "Joint No 25" was the popular "Beer Bar" in the entire locality. This restaurant was a breather in-between sexual athletics and Kamasutra positions in the numerous brothels that dotted the landscape of Kamatipura.
The other peculiar trait about " Joint Nos 25" was that this was a "English speaking Brothel" and hence had a more educated clientele besides also being selective in accepting customers.
Legalized Pornographic tycoon Hugh.Hefner could have learnt some "Sexual circuses" from "Joint No 25" of the 1980's and 1990's era, before advent of the "Internet" and "Escort whoring" killed "Courtesan business".
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| Busy Shukhlaji Street , one of the most densely populated localities of Mumbai.Formerly,BROTHEL BUILDINGS lined both sides of the street. In 2012 , just a few "Brothel Buildings" are intact,including the iconic "BROTHEL NOS 25".Visit this street before it completely disappears from Mumbai's topography as a former "WHOREHOUSE LOCALITY OF MUMBAI". |
These "Brothel Villa's" could even qualify for "Heritage Buildings" category as they are steeped in "Brothel History" and "Underworld secrets or gossips" , a la "Umrao Jaan or Devdas saga's",beginning with the Britishers that created "Kamathipura".Tragically, unlike "Patpong" in Bangkok or the "Reeperbahn of St Pauli" in Hamburg the tourism potential of Kamathipura was never exploited although many movie ideas and literary writings have been based on this sin locality of Mumbai.A Big myth is that only "Bachelors" and "Sex Perverts" patronize these brothels , while the authentic truth is that most of the patrons are "Married Men" experimenting on "Sexual Acts" or "Sexual innovations" which their wives do not allow at home! A typical "Villa Brothel" like the infamous " Joint 25" dates back to the pre-Independence era and consisted of 2 to 3 storeys with huge crumbling rooms for servicing clients, filthy toilets and bathrooms and all the women lived in a "Hostel type atmosphere" with the "Madam" having her own private "Room".The "Madam" runs the "Brothel" on a "Rental Basis" paying a monthly rent to the building owner, usually a wealthy, pious,non-criminal "Dormant Partner", the ultimate "White Collar shady entrepreneur".In 2004 ," Joint 25" changed ownership and renovated itself into an "Air-conditioned" guest-house while " Joint N0 007" a brothel run by a Nepali Madam has closed and also been repurchased and run as a "guest-house", a case of "Brothel modernization", a necessary social evil of society.Paradoxically, brothels are the only few "vice Industry's" where women manage the economics and management , employing men as pimps and bouncers and exploiting their own fellow women workers professionally, a type of "Socialism" that would make Karl Marx think."Joint N0 007" during ownership of the "Nepali Madam" was famous as a "Sea-Farer's paradise", mostly frequented by sailors and well decorated during the "New Year Festival". Brothel "Joint 007" consisted of a two storey building, absolutely deceptive from the exterior, with cubicle rooms on the first floor for servicing "clients".
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| The By-lanes of Kamatipura with its former "Chawl-Type Brothels" has undergone tremendous changes. In Future these lanes might totally disappear, replaced by "Skyscraper buildings" as this locality is situated in Prime Mumbai city.See these localities before they totally disappear to re-development.Literature like mine might be the only reminders of this colourful and yet sad locality of Mumbai. |
Director Anurag Kashyap has stolen a scene from "Shanti Das' in "Devdas- original" :-The last scene in which a totally sozzled , sick and dejected 21st century Devdas takes a high-class educated prostitute on the backseat of his motorcycle and disappears to the audiences imagination is a straight lift from my infamous friend "SHATI DAS'S Life".
Sometime in 2002 the rich spoiled brat Shanti Das had taken a fancy to a beautiful illiterate whore from the infamous Nepali "Joint No 007" at Shukhlaji Street and many a night was spent in her room. Shanti Das had and still owns a Royal Enfield motorcycle which he used for cruising the streets of Mumbai, high on "Hash" to avoid "Drunken driving", a real genius at hoodwinking!Many a times he took Kumari, his new found Nepali whore to the Taj Mahal hotel of all places for a drink at the "Starboard Lounge" or dinner at the Shamiana! Kumari, when well dressed and roaming in the right circles and not "Kamatipura locality" could pass off as a rich sophisticated woman on sheer looks . Unless spoken to, even her illiteracy could be disguised by her sheer beauty.
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| Friday(23-12-2016) :- Festive decor of Kamatipura lanes. Truly "COSMOPOLITAN". |
Cafe Mondegar and the Taj Mahal Hotel in Colaba were the regular haunts of the made for each other couple Mr Shanti Das and Kumari until one fine day the petite kumari suddenly disappeared from "Joint Nos 007" and later the brothel closed down and changed ownership. Ultimately,infamous Alexandra Theater's English to Hindi translated film titles, and photographs might be the only memories of "Kamathipura" once it undergoes the "Builders scalpels" of redevelopment.Sadly "Alexandra Theatre" has been demolished and a partial historical edifice of the locality has vanished. On 31st December 2009 Shanti.Das, a good friend of mine on his "New Year Eve sex jaunts" told me a joke that a "Pimp" of "Hotel G-9" told him,quote,"Sir, the women and eunuch prostitutes are becoming "Unemployed" and instead factory's are being opened in Kamatipura locality for men" ! Ha Ha Ha Hee hee hee ? A absolute paradox of a locality once called "THE SEX CAPITAL OF ASIA". This "JOKE" sounds better when quoted in "Original Hindi language" rather than translated into English .Fact is that "PROSTITUTION" is not becoming extinct or reducing in Mumbai city but just changing adresses and locales in the Internet and cell-phone era of the oldest business on Planet earth..The very fact that the inventor of "LEGALIZED SEX ENTERTAINMENT" to the World, the "Grand Daddy" of them all, Mr Hugh.Hefner was contemplating selling his 56 year old "Intellectual Pornographic Empire" in 2009 for 200 million pounds speaks volumes of the "INTERNALIZATION OF PORNOGRAPHY". Agreed, at age 83(2009) Mr Hugh.Hefner cannot prolong his sexual erections nor the "Playboy" monopoly of the billion dollar "Sex Industry".As a shrewd businessman he has realized that "Internet sex websites" are creating havoc with "Playboy" subscriptions and sales, making the magazine seem like a tame "High school sex education" magazine with elite content in the profligate "Adult Sex Information Era".Ultimately, Hugh.Hefner has avoided selling "PLAYBOY" but has adapted to the "INTERNET ERA" by making "Playboy" available for on-line subscription as well as free for casual browsing, akin to newspapers.In Bombay of the 1970's, access to a outdated "Playboy" magazine was sold at a premium to an elite clientele. In 2009 any Mumbaikar can access "Hardcore Pornography" from the "Internet" with "Playboy" being a mere "side-show", that too, in a Country where "Sex Magazines" are officially banned. A new "Digital Sexual Revolution" first started and pioneered in the print media in 1953 by Mr Hugh.Hefner himself has become a "Frankenstein Monster" in the "Internet Era" to legalized sex publishing Moguls. Ultimately,inventions and innovations transforms lives as well as businesses including the "SEX INDUSTRY" and "Playboy" is undergoing the same.Years after publishing this blog i happened to read the best-seller novel, "SEX AND THE CITY" written by Candace.Bushnell in 1997, a book about the "Sexcapades" and "Sexual circuses" of New York's elite celebrity news-makers very much on the lines of India's own famous erotic bestseller writer Shoba.De. Honestly, the "Low life Villa Brothels of Kamathipura" of the 1980's , 1990's and early 2000's were an exact replica of "Sex and the City" in its peculiar private "Sex Circuses".The famous and infamous "Dance Bars" of Mumbai were forced to close down in 2005 and many of these bar dance girls committed suicide or became prostitutes as they were unfit for any other profession besides "Bar Dancing".The Supreme Court of India later re-instated the "Dance Bars" in 2013 and hence many former dance bar girls might find employment in the bars once they are re-opened. Its a sad fact of life that prostitution and women dance bars exploit women for sexual purposes. In Prostitution women barter their bodies for physical paid sex while in the case of "Dance Bars" its the joy of men oogling at dancing women.A fact that can't be ignored is that many women legally earn their income through prostitution or "Bar dancing" in Mumbai, having not been forced into the profession. This proves the fact that "SEX" is the only human activity that is universal in performance and personal satisfaction, irrespective of caste, creed, sex,nationality or wealth.Touche! Topi! By :- Blogger Rudolph.A.Furtado
NOTE :- In 2016 a resolution was passed to redevelop the entire "KAMATIPURA-SUKHLAJI" locality from a "RED LIGHT LOCALITY" into a "PLUSH RESIDENTIAL TOWNSHIP".This blog would be a historical reference for anthropologists decades from 2016 .
