I am originally from Nepal. They say, love gets you heaven but in my case, I got Kamathipura, where sex costs little. I ran away from my home in Nepal trusting the man I loved so much. However, he ditched me and sold me and ran away. Of course, I was tricked into prostitution.

Poverty was not the reason for me to enter prostitution. Rather it was blind love. At 23, I landed at Kamathipura and was repeatedly gangraped before becoming a branded prostitute.

Leave prostitution? Well, there is nothing else in my life. I am a prostitute and prostitution is my job. There is no other option for me in this life. May be it is the sins of my past life. But it’s ok now. No complains. At least, I am not a burden on anyone. I can take care of myself and don’t have to look up to my family for survival. I won’t leave Kamathipura till I die.

Our day starts a bit late and depends more on the number of customers we attend. I get Rs 450 for a session. The amount is bigger for the whole night. A portion is handed to the madam and pimp. Even the police get their share. Customers are our only connect to the outside world. There are customers I have known for years and I love them but now I don't love like that.

I wear my best clothes and make-up and stand on the streets of Kamathipura. We pose, smile and wave to lure our customers. Several NGOs work for us. Through them only I got to know about the dangers of HIV/AIDS. And now I don’t entertain a customer if he refuses to wear condoms. Frankly speaking, I have no idea what legalisation means. But if it helps in stopping minors from coming to flesh trade, then it should be done without any delay.

We try to unravel the dark underbelly of India’s red light areas. The unregulated sex industry often evokes extreme reactions. Respectable people (as per norms set by society) hate it, but do they really ignore it? India’s stand on prostitution is a masterpiece of ambiguity, legally. Get to know the world of a sex worker for yourself and then take a stand. Just read their stories and voice your opinion on whether prostitution should be legalised or not. More stories are on the way. Just watch out for this space!