Unlike brothels in Mumbai and Kolkata, which can be quite shanty and unhygienic, the company houses in Kerala in the 70s were unique.

In Kerala, brothels were old buildings constructed in traditional Kerala style architecture with tiled roofs and a barn for cows in the backyard. These houses were mostly in Palakkad. Only a few women resided there with a body guard and a broker in charge. The broker would bring clients on the pretext of buying cows. As negotiations over the price of cattle took place outside, the clients would visit the sex workers inside. People in the neighbourhood knew the truth, but they never bothered us.

One good thing about the younger generation today is that they are more open and vocal about sex. But double standards persist. Malayalee men talk about morality during day time, and at night, after 11 pm, when their wives and kids are asleep, they want to engage in dirty talk and sex chats.

This kind of hypocrisy is the worst in the state. People in Kerala, who hire a prostitute, would want to go outside the state to have sex, because they don’t want other people to know about it. So they think about finding a lodge in Mysore or Mangalore (Karnataka). You will never find such an attitude among people from other states. The only exception to this cultural hypocrisy was Punathil Kunjabdullah (late Malayalam writer). He even invited me to his house. We had a platonic relationship.

If you are willing to put up with this cultural nonsense, then Kerala is the most lucrative place for a sex worker. A sex worker in Kerala can earn up to Rs 10,000 a night, when her counterpart in Kolkata makes just Rs 50.

                                                                                                                                                       (Continues)

 

NALINI JAMEELA is a former sex worker, best-selling author and most recently a state award winning costume director. 

*In conversation with Sangeeth Sebastian, senior journalist and founder, Vvox, a digital health clinic. The series is a part of an AKADialog initiative to capture the lives of newsmakers.