Hiramandi of Delhi: Amidst the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film ‘Hiramandi’ released on Netflix is being discussed a lot. This film is based on the story of courtesans. Amidst the discussion of Heeramandi film, AnyTV Hindi found out the condition of Heeramandi in the country’s capital Delhi. The form of this Hiramandi, which has been going on since the Mughal era, has now changed a lot. This hideout of courtesans, known as GB Road near New Delhi Railway Station and Paharganj, has now come to be known by the name of Shraddhanand Marg. What do the courtesans of this Hiramandi think about the Lok Sabha elections 2024? Do these courtesans have any kind of craze about PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi or Arvind Kejriwal or do all these courtesans care nothing about anything other than their business. All these questions were answered very candidly by some courtesans and the brokers who brought customers.
Salam, a resident of North Dinajpur district of West Bengal, actually drives a rickshaw, but his job is to take customers from one room to another and make deals with courtesans. Salam says, ‘Inflation has increased, but earnings are decreasing. People pay only Rs 10 to go from Ajmeri Gate to Lahori Gate. One earns only Rs 100, 200 or Rs 300 from this throughout the day, but if a customer is found then his commission is Rs 200 at a time. Have been doing this work for the last 12 years. I don’t understand anything about politics. By the way, I like Arvind Kejriwal.
There is definitely a Heeramandi in almost every old city of the country.
What is the election mood of Delhi’s ‘Hiramandi’?
Dev Narayan Sharma, resident of Pratapgarh, UP, was found at a tea shop. A person named Vicky was also with Sharma. Tried to know the election atmosphere of Delhi from about 5 people at this tea shop. Dev Narayan Sharma says, ‘This time there is a wave of Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi. Kejriwal will win at least 5 seats. However, later Sharma retracted his statement and said, see, only Modi will come. Arvind Kejriwal does not stay at one place. Tell me why did you leave Delhi and go to Punjab? Another person at the same shop said that Modi government is doing good work. But the number of drug addicts has increased on GB Road. At the same shop, a person named Bablu said, ‘Look, the earnings of paan vendors and tea vendors have reduced because now customers do not come here.’
Noor Mohammad, a resident of Loni, who roams around on GB Road and cleans people’s ears, says, ‘Earlier we used to get Rs 50, 100 and Rs 200 for cleaning ears, but now no one is paying even Rs 20.’ A person standing next to Noor Mohammad says that now he is not getting customers here. Now the incidents of pickpocketing and mobile snatching have increased here. The policeman also takes commission.
Which party will the courtesan’s arrows hit?
70 year old Abdulla Khan, resident of UP, was found at a tea shop near room number 64 of Hiramandi. Abdulla Khan has been living in this Hiramandi for the last 52 years. He married a courtesan from here and has a daughter from her. Now Abdulla Khan says that I have also become a grandfather. Abdulla Khan says, look brother, Indira government was the strength of the poor. Now people are crying. However, Kejriwal has done a lot. Electricity, water and treatment have been made free. School has also been made free. I think this time only Kejriwal will be stung.
There are brothels of courtesans in cities like Lucknow, Banaras, Meerut, Jaipur and Muzaffarpur of Bihar.
Let us tell you that it was Abdullah Khan who introduced him to a courtesan from Hiramandi. This 30-32 year old courtesan is from UP and her husband has remarried. After her husband’s second marriage, this courtesan moved to Delhi and then came here. This courtesan has been living here for the last 10 years. She gave birth to two children on GB Road itself. She is now teaching both the children.
Know the pain of courtesans
Courtesan Rukhsana (name changed) says, look, before Corona, she used to earn 5000 to 10000 rupees a day, but now if she earns even 500 rupees a day, then she thinks that she has earned a lot. The government gives us Rs 2500 every month. Some NGOs are now coming and helping. Now customers have stopped coming here. Because, young courtesans are not available here. The reason for this is that now the strictness has become more than before. Even new girls are not coming. The strictness of the police has increased. As far as voting is concerned, I like Modi, but he does not increase money. This time I have not yet decided whom to vote for.
The financial condition of these courtesans has started deteriorating.
Also read: Why is Swati Maliwal in the news after the episode ‘Turbanator’… Is it AAP’s googly or Harbhajan’s?
Overall, the condition of Hiramandi of Delhi is the same as that of other Hiramandis of the country. Because after Corona, the business of courtesans has slowed down considerably. Let us tell you that there is almost a Heeramandi in every old city of the country. There are brothels of courtesans in cities like Lucknow, Banaras, Meerut, Jaipur and Muzaffarpur of Bihar. But now less people come to these brothels, due to which the financial condition of these courtesans has started deteriorating. These people say that leaders of political parties avoid coming to the red light area. Hiramandi of Delhi is also not an exception to this.
Tags: 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, Delhi news, Delhi-NCR News
FIRST PUBLISHED: May 17, 2024, 12:39 IST