It is said that prostitution is the oldest profession in the world. But people often refrain from talking openly about this profession. India has been a country where prostitution has been a tradition since the ancient times of kings and landlords. Indian sex workers are in business largely because of situations beyond their control. India also claims to have some of the largest red-light districts in the world, in fact, there are only a few of them. Moving out of red light areas, prostitution is now flourishing in the form of massage parlours and escort services. Body trade has become a bright source of income. It is true that even though prostitution is an illegal act, it is openly happening in many areas of the country. Today we will discuss the top 10 prostitution sectors in India.
Top 10 Largest Red Light Areas in India
1. Sonagachhi, Kolkata
Asia’s largest red-light area is in Sonagachi, Kolkata but also one of the largest red-light areas in the world. This is the place where there are brothels everywhere, the whole area is filled with brothels. It houses more than 11,000 sex workers. This area is in Chittaranjan Avenue, located near Shobha Bazar, North Kolkata.
Total number of prostitutes: around 11000+
2. Kamathipura, Mumbai
Mumbai’s Kamathipura, India’s second-largest red-light area, is said to be the oldest red-light area in Asia. The history of this area begins with the construction of Old Bombay in the year 1795. Even today this area is well known for prostitution. The family of 2 lakh sex workers lives here, which is the largest in the whole of Central Asia. This area is located on Grant Road which is the largest in the whole of Central Asia.
Total Number of Sex Workers: Around 2 lakh
3. Budhwar Peth, Pune
Budhwar Peth, Pune is the third-largest redlight area in Asia. In which about 700 brothels and 5000+ prostitutes live. The area is located in the heart of Pune city and is famous for electronic items, daily convenience items, and books. A large number of Nepali girls are involved in prostitution here. These girls are brought in by seduction and then pushed into the prostitution business. There is always a huge crowd of people in the area. So we can assume that Budhwar Peth red-light area gets regular customers.
Total Number of Sex Workers: Around 700 brothels and 5000+
4. Meerganj, Allahabad
As such, Allahabad is recognized throughout India as the Prayagraj Trust of the confluence of Ganga, Jamuna, and Saraswati. But Allahabad, a famous red-light area in India has many brothels occupied by prostitutes from different parts of the country. Foreign countries such as Bangladesh and Nepal are also dominant in this red-light area for illegal smuggling. There is illegal prostitution here. Allahabad, once the centre of education in the whole country, is also famous for the Kotha located in the Mirganj area located here.
Total Number of Sex Workers: Around 4000 +
5. GB Road in Delhi
The full name of GB Road in Delhi, the capital of India is Garstin Bastin Road. This is the largest red-light area of India Delhi. Thousands of prostitutes live in this red-light area. You will mainly find North Indian, Punjabi girls, Delhi girls. Here one can also find a large number of girls and mallu prostitutes from Nepal and Bangladesh. It is considered to be one of the top red light areas in India.
total Number of Prostitutes: 50+ Brothels, 1000+ Prostitutes
6. Chaturbhujsthan Muzaffarpur
Chaturbhujsthan is a red light district in Muzaffarpur, a district in the state of Bihar, India. It is said that there has been open prostitution since the Mughal period. There are about 3500 sex workers (officially) residing in this district who earn income through Mujra dance and sex services. The district is named after the famous Chaturbhujasthan temple, which is visited by lakhs of people throughout the year as a pilgrimage.
Total Number of Prostitutes: 300+ Brothels
7. Ltwari Nagpur
This is an area which is located near Nagpur, Itawari railway station. Itwari area in Nagpur, the sub-capital of Maharashtra, has a Ganga-Jamuna area, where prostitution runs. This area is known for the flesh trade. Ganga Jamuna area is known for prostitution as well as criminal activities and trafficking. This place is one of the important areas of the top 10 prostitution areas of India.
Total Number of Prostitutes 1500 + Brothels
8. Shivdaspur, Varanasi
The area located about 3 km away from Shivdaspur Varanasi railway station is famous as the red light area here. It is in a way the biggest red light area of UP. Similarly, the Dalmandi area located here is still running despite all kinds of legal restrictions, where many professional escorts and prostitutes are living their lives by living with their families.
Total Number of Prostitutes: 5000+ Prostitutes are present
9. Nat Purwa, Uttar Pradesh
Kabadi Bazar located in Meerut UP is a very old red-light area. Prostitution is done here since the British era. In the year 1871, the British government introduced the Criminal Act, due to which all activities of the Nat tribe were banned. They were mainly involved in juggling, magic show, tribal dance, gymnastics, etc. Male actors were taken to jails and unnecessarily tortured. Since then, prostitution has become a tradition in this small Natpurwa village, which apparently falls in the top 10 red-light areas in India.
Total Number of Prostitutes: 2000+
10. Vadia, Gujarat
Wadia village, 250 km from Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat, has been associated with prostitution for the past several decades. Most of the men of the village are engaged in brokerage and they also implicate customers for the women of their families. The people living in this village are mostly of the Yayavar tribe and they are called the Sarania tribe. In this village, you will find it difficult to find a single girl or woman who is not in this prostitution business. In this village, every girl sells her body. It is said that due to poverty and helplessness, their brothers and father throw them into the swamp of jismfiroshi so that they can eat bread for 2 times