The Outside world

Kolkata, 2 November: Since I was born and brought up in the same gali in the Khidderpore red-light area, I hardly got any opportunity to experience life in the outer world. My first outing and opportunity to see a posh area in Kolkata was when I went to attended Odissi dance classes taught by the famous dancer, Ms. Sharmila Biswas. I had a memorable time, during these dance classes and I especially enjoyed the traveling in our office Sumo, where a group of girls from the Kishori Mandal enjoyed the ride together.

The other memorable time was the day of the book launch programme organized by A2W2 for The Place Where We Live Is Called a Red Light Area. In the programme, our group got the opportunity to perform an Odissi group dance on the stage, and we got the opportunity to sing along with the famous singer, Ms. Usha Uthup. My mother was very happy and she felt proud to see me on the stage.

I wish I could be like other girls, enjoying all their rights, having dignity, living in a good house in a good locality with all the luxuries of life. I like good roads, clean and big houses with proper electricity and water supply, which we don’t have in our area. When we go to our local politician, he never listens to us. At voting time, he comes to our houses, but then he disappears.

The outside world is safer. The inside world we live is frightening.