“Taboo!’ by Fouzia Saeed tackles … touchy issues in a very open and honest manner.”
“Fouzia Saeed has managed to put together an extremely gripping book, bristling with facts, as well as her impressions, about the culture of the Shahi Mohalla. Written in the first person, the book exposes the myths and the realities behind these myths as Fouzia Saeed goes deeper and deeper into this hidden culture.”
“The first step to the eradication of a problem is creating understanding, and books like ‘Taboo!’ can further such understanding.”
“‘Taboo!’ is an indication that we need to look within ourselves and find the true reasons for social ills.”
Society is an interesting phenomenon. Created through the interaction of human beings, it possesses a character that is quite out of the control of an individual. Through the passage of centuries, culture, tradition and ideas have influenced society, both for the better as well as for the worse. The individual components of a society, then, become conditioned to a mode of conduct and thought that is is difficult to break out of.
When anthropologists study the evolution of society, however, they find that several ideologies and conditioning principles have been inculcated in a society for a specific reason. These ideologies that often have nothing remotely to do with religious culture or beliefs, are seen to have been the product of a powerful segment of the society that controls the flow of finances or power through that social set-up. Often, these ideologies are nothing but taboos, conditioned into the mainstream society to protect the interests of the more powerful segment of that very society.
For instance take the taboos associated with the red light areas. All through South Asia, red light areas are regarded with horror mixed with mystery and fascination. Myths abound in plenty, some of which are difficult to dispel. In Pakistan, specifically, red light areas are associated with the arts of music and dancing, and the practice of these arts is generally frowned upon by the ‘respectable’ segment of the society.
People generally keep tight-lipped about the red light areas, except for those who frequent these districts for personal or research purposes. Girls are discouraged from setting foot in these mohallas, and are told that if they do go they would be kidnapped and made to stay in the Mohalla for the rest of their lives. This and other such ‘treats’ keep young people from poling into the right light areas out of curiosity.
It should be remembered that the red light areas were originally created by the Mughal culture. The Mughals patronized song and dance, and courtesans who were well versed in these arts. These courtesans were often in charge of educating young noble men in the fine arts of poetry music and court manners.
After the downfall of the Mughal Empire, these courtesans retained little of their dignity and prestige, and were relegated to the status of mere prostitutes, as their noble patrons were stripped of the wealth and titles, and the remaining customers had no interest in music and dancing. After the independence of Pakistan, the social order truly did change. No longer were they encouraged to perfect the arts of music and dance. They were even openly lambasted for leading society towards immorality.
This attitude became the basic reason for the taboo against the red light areas. ‘Efforts’ were made to shut down their business. However, it appears that too many powerful people had financial stakes in these areas. These people controlled the red light area, owned most of the properties in these mohallas, and dictated their will to the inhabitants. Therefore, in spite of the ‘efforts’ to wipe out prostitution, it continues to flourish.
‘Taboo!’ by Fouzia Saeed tackles these touchy issues in a very open and honest manner. Fouzia Saeed has, herself, been obstructed in her research by people who were frightened of an educated woman ‘poking around’ in the Shahi Mohalla of Lahore. These people who held financial and political stakes in this Mohalla tried their utmost to stop her research; from slashing the tires of her cars, to exposing her to police intimidation.
Even so, Fouzia Saeed has managed to put together an extremely gripping book, bristling with facts, as well as her impressions, about the culture of the Shahi Mohalla.
Written in the first person, the book exposes the myths and the realities behind these myths as Fouzia Saeed goes deeper and deeper into this hidden culture. These myths are proven to be baseless. But a darker side of the prostitution business is indeed uncovered. Here we see how taboos keep these women out of mainstream society, even while they are kept from changing their profession (if they so wished), by these very taboos. Left with nowhere to go, faced with police brutalities, these women often move out of their mohallas and into the newer parts of the city, even while government officials maintain that prostitution is decreasing.
Included in this book is Fouzia Saeed’s interview with a civil servant; an interview that sends chills down the spine. The government’s blatant denial that a problem exists, for whatever reason, is leading to the further perpetration of the problem. It appears that the illness plaguing the society is not immorality or prostitution, but hypocrisy. Fouzia Saeed alleges, at one point, that important decisions are made in these kothas by government officials, before they are revealed to the public. This alone shows that the patrons of the red light areas are the very people who have undertaken to stamp out the evils of prostitution.
Fouzia Saeed argues convincingly her case, while she removes the webs of myths that surround red light areas. If you enter the area, you will not be kidnapped and sold to a kotha. You will not catch a disease by simply walking through these mohallas. And the people who inhabit these mohallas are not from Mars at all. Rather, they are normal people like the rest of the mainstream population. They have a profession to which they are faithful. They have a ‘biraderi’ and their own social set-up as well.
‘Taboo!’ is an effort to remove these and other misunderstandings regarding the men and women that live in the red light areas. Only when these misunderstandings are removed, can people really hope to understand that these mohallas are part and product of the society. The first step to the eradication of a problem is creating understanding, and books like ‘Taboo!’ can further such understanding.
As far as the research aspect of the book is concerned, Fouzia Saeed is meticulous in recording pertinent information. Here lack of familiarity with the culture leads to an active interest in what she finds unexplained, and for the explanations she has no qualms about approaching even whom she refers to as ‘the greatest pimp of our times’. By hook or by crook, Fouzia Saeed was determined to get the information she wanted. More than anything else, she wanted to explore the reasons for the web of mystery surrounding the red light areas. And she succeeds, unearthing links to the bureaucracy that she had not imagined, and that proved dangerous to her as well.
‘Taboo!’ is an indication that we need to look within ourselves and find the true reasons for social ills. And not the least amongst these ills is the hypocrisy that keeps part of our society in chains. Through tackling the issues of the red light areas, Fouzia Saeed has tackled a broader and finer issue pertaining to our society. ‘Taboo!’ is not only about the notions surrounding women of the red light areas; it is also about the notions and ideas that bind ‘respectable’ women. One is bound by ‘sin’ and the other by ‘honour’. Both are answerable to the males of their relative families.
Fouzia Saeed finds that women are treated alike, be they a member of the ‘kanjar biraderi’ or be they a member of the ‘respectable’ society. She finds that women face the same challenges, heartbreaks and obstacles regardless of which side of the social stream they live. Women are commonly sold in all strata of our society, whether as ‘good women’, as Fouzia Saeed puts it, or ‘bad women’; ‘one sold in the name of sin, and the other in the name of honour’.
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Taboo is a result of extensive research carried out by an eminent social scientist and human rights activist in Pakistan. Dr. Fouzia Saeed has been a prominent figure on the NGO-scene in Pakistan and is attributed with setting up an organization called 'Bedari' (awakening) which was the first ever NGO set up to address the lack of basic human rights for women. With this background, her book comes as yet another groundbreaking feat. In Taboo, she studies the lives of the people of the Shahi Mohalla in Lahore. Shahi Mohalla is a place inhabited by a community of entertainers, dancers and musicians. This community is known for providing all forms of entertainment and traditionally its forte has been in providing sexual services to clients who visit the Mohalla. It is a place which has been a source of mixed feelings for all that know about it. The Mohalla has always been well guarded under layers of myths and perceptions.
Dr. Saeed's work has been the first definitive step towards sifting out the myth and creating a factual account of what life is all about in the Mohalla.
The inspiration for this research is totally relatable. In the opening chapter, Dr. Saeed touches upon the association of dance and music with prostitution in our society. In her own words, she talks about how she had to tackle with this association as an annoying obstacle to her desire to learn and master various classical and folk forms of dance. As a woman she had to face discouragement due to one of the most clichéd terms in our society- 'achay ghar ke ladkian yay naheen karteen' (girls from good families do not indulge in such activities). This obstacle set her on a quest and she spent considerable effort in penetrating this uncharted domain of social sciences in Pakistan. The book is a result of this extensive research.
An interesting and integral characteristic of the book is its non-judgmental treatment of the people of the Mohalla. Dr. Saeed has worked on studying these people as individuals living in circumstances that are unique. She has interacted with these people not to find answers to whether they are good or evil or how they can be eradicated. Rather, she has focused on studying their life with an objectivity that is essential for any scientific work. This approach has resulted in her work being real and factual. It is neither sympathetic nor degrading towards the subject and thus free of any myths or perceptions. She has reported what she has seen and left it to the reader to form a judgment if they cannot live without one.
Reading through the book, amidst all the scientific objectivity, one does see traces of Dr. Saeed's background as a human rights activist. These traces always appear in the appropriate context and make the reading experience worthwhile. Leaning on her background, Dr Saeed asks some very valid questions in the book. Questions which go right to the core of how we as a society manage to live with our double standards. As an example of these questions and reflections, Dr Saeed asks why is it that a woman who is a prostitute is branded as an evil person while her customer is let go with a slight slap on the wrist (sometimes not even that!!!). She asks as to why traditionally, prostitutes are blamed for sexual misconducts in the society and not those who pay for their services. So, the book uses the case of the women in the Mohalla and manages to find parallels between women in the Mohalla and women anywhere else in the society. With this approach, Dr. Saeed points out the inherent exploitation of the 'weaker' sex that prevails in our society.
After presenting her interactions and experiences with the people of the Mohalla, Dr. Saeed sums up her work in the last chapter. Here she sums up her entire work to reflect the immense social pressures that women face in our society. The setting is perfect and Dr Saeed plays a listener to a conversation between a 'normal' girl and a girl from the Mohalla. Reading the conclusion in the words of two people who can be seen as characters in the story of the status of women in our society, proves to be a treat. All I can say is that I understood and agreed with each and every word of it. This discussion is presented as a session of self-realization where a young girl from the 'normal' part of the society talks to a girl of the Mohalla and through their exchange of ideas they come to conclusions about their similarities and how they are part of a bigger system and have almost similar roles to play. This session is very enlightening and makes one think about how things are for the women in our country.
Overall, the book is a very interesting read and for those who are interested in learning about people and social issues that challenge us, it is a must-read. The book is also a source of enlightenment as it sheds light on the life of a group of people that has always been looked at from a safe distance. For all of us who wanted to know everything about the Mohalla and were afraid to ask, Dr. Saeed took the initiative and dedicated a considerable amount of her scientific work in researching and learning about these people. And not only that, in her reporting of the lives of these people, Dr. Saeed went on to ask some serious questions about the state of affairs for women in general.
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 Labelled as the oldest profession in the world, prostitution has had roots in South Asia since the earliest times. The Mughal era provided ample support for prostitution, as courtesans enjoyed a prominent status amongst society due to their knowledge of singing and dancing. Surrounded by an aura of being unmentionable and forbidden amongst 'respectable' people, the flesh market is however continuing to grow at an alarming rate.
Fouzia Saeed's work has shown that the boldness and courage of one woman can alter the way we perceive society. Although written on a highly controversial issue, she deserves a lot of credit for going where no woman from outside the Mohalla has gone before, and with such sensitivity. It was, therefore, with an open heart and mind that Fouzia Saeed approached the famous Shahi Mohalla, the red light district of Lahore, attempting to make sense of an area that has visitors who publicly shun the very place they have created for their own recreation.
As we learn from the book Taboo, life inside the Shahi Mohalla consists of an upside down world, where the birth of a girl is celebrated with joy, while news of a son brings unhappiness. It is a place where men take a back seat in the running of the household, as it is the woman who assumes the role of head of the family. Created as a result of a self-serving patriarchal society, the Mohalla has effectively provided the country with numerous poets, singers and actresses.
However, Taboo is not just a story of life in the red light district of Lahore. It has been included in the syllabi of the University of London and is also being read in some American Universities as an anthropology textbook.
"The performing arts have always held an immense personal interest for me," says Fouzia. "At the age of 17 I wanted to learn how to play the sitar, but I soon came across the perception that it was not something that a 'nice' woman should do. When I expressed my interest in dance, I came across the same resistance, and this sparked my curiosity as to why there was such a stigma attached to both these arts."
It was mainly this love of music and dance and her work as a woman activist, that sent Fouzia looking for answers directly where the problem sprouted. As she holds a doctorate in Education from the University of Minnesota, the researcher inside her, took over; looking for answers directly amongst the culture of pimps, prostitutes, and mirasis.
Currently, Fouzia is the Country Director of Action Aid, Pakistan - an NGO involved with eradicating poverty and fighting social injustice. She has also worked for the Lok Virsa, where she first encountered performers who hailed from the Mohalla. While working at the Lok Virsa, Fouzia wrote Women in folk theatre which dealt with women's issues in our culture. She has also written many articles about problems concerning women's rights and violence against women.
Born in Lahore, she also lived in Peshawar for sometime. With two older sisters and a younger brother who she is very close to, she belongs to a very close-knit family. After initial schooling in Peshawar, she went on to obtain her Bachelor's, Master's and PhD degrees from America.
When I went to interview her at her office in Action Aid, Fouzia explained the reasons behind writing on such a 'sensitive' topic, and the conclusions she had drawn after completing the book.
What kind of pressure did you come across while gathering information for the book?
Fouzia Saeed: It was not so much of any feelings of intimidation from the residents of the Mohalla but in fact it was the "nice" people who were making my life hard. I encountered a lot of problems at the bureaucratic level and the police definitely did not want me any where around the mohalla either. I had the tires of my car slashed by "unidentified people" but this only made me resolute in pursuing the mission I had set out for myself. As to the people who lived in the Mohalla, I always felt comfortable amongst them.
Were your family members comfortable with your particular field of study?
FS: Initially no. They were subconsciously retaining the myth that girls who went near the mohalla were in danger of being kidnapped and forced into prostitution. When I discussed my reasons and motivation for uncovering the myths associated with the performing arts and prostitution, they began to understand how much this research meant to me and how resolved I was in pursuing it. I was very lucky in having extremely supportive parents. My husband, Paul, who is an American, gave me immense moral support in viewing the book from the reader's perspective.
How long did Taboo take to write?
FS: The research part took about eight years, while the actual writing took two years. When I wrote the book I gathered all my information and went to the Philippines with my husband. From there I was able to reflect on everything I had learnt from society, and the Mohalla. It was almost as if I had to distance my self from Pakistan to be able to write with a clear perspective. My husband contributed immensely to the book, as he urged me to modify my style from purely a research presentation, to an informal approach, so I could identify with the readers at a much larger scale.
From the pictures in the book, we can see that the prostitutes are living in poor surroundings. Were diseases common amongst them?
FS: The prostitutes did live in areas where there was a very low standard of hygiene. They knew nothing about AIDS until about one year ago, when an awareness programme imparted some knowledge to them. Sexually transmitted diseases are common and medical treatment is administered by the dais.
Did you make any friends while visiting the Mohalla?
FS: Yes, I certainly did. I still have friends amongst them and I do visit them occasionally.
Do your friends from the Mohalla come to visit you?
FS: Well, once when I was away from home my mother called me to say that one of the girls from the Mohalla had come to visit me at my home in Islamabad along with her husband. That really upset my mother, who insisted that although she was supportive of my research work she did not feel comfortable with my subjects coming to our home. I respected her wishes and made sure it did not happen again.
What message did you want to convey based on the findings of your book?
FS: Well, I wanted to tell my readers, especially the younger male generation, that they must think for themselves and not in the way society has moulded our minds to think. I wanted people to see the truth as it is; that it is up to a woman to perceive her morality for herself. It is not for a man to tell her whether she is "good" or "bad" and then limit her life accordingly. It is time men begin to rethink their roles and adjust to the needs of women too.
As we can see from Fouzia's research, the status of women is somewhat of a complex phenomenon in the subcontinent. Not for the woman who holds it, but for the average male inhabitant who has to define it for her. Whilst men have the luxury of doing as they please, it is the women that are perceived as likely to cause shame to the men they are "owned" by, regardless of any dishonourable acts that men chose to commit themselves. It is therefore deemed necessary by society, that men keep their women well inside limits as defined by a male dominated society. Having said this, we must acknowledge that the struggle for recognition for women of our social order continues.
Women are starting to put up a greater resistance to the confinement that a patriarchal culture imposes on them, and much to the uneasiness of their male counterparts, are beginning to speak out against the many illogical notions that have dictated their roles as the "less seen, less heard" part of society.
Fouzia ends her narrative with the conclusion that whether women are considered "good" or "bad", they are in fact "two sides of the same coin". She concludes that in our male dominated culture, the Shahi Mohalla and society do have something in common - one woman is sold in the name of sin, the other is sold in the name of honour.
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