If you were ever to sit and ponder where the world’s biggest red light districts were, then you may think of Amsterdam, Hamburg, Bangkok, or Mexico. The reality, though, is that by far the biggest is Sonagachi in West Bengal, Calcutta (Kolkata), India.
Why is this? Well, it turns out that legal red light districts are a bit of a thing in the Indian subcontinent, despite the perceived conservativeness of the region. And these areas not only go back hundreds of years, but have a whole heap of stories and issues associated with them.
So, what is it like visiting Sonagachi? Frankly, a wee bit weird if I am honest, and very unlike how you would expect a “red light district” to look. I mean, I did not even see any red lights….
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A brief history of Sonagachi
Like most things in India, nobody can quite agree exactly how old Sonagachi is. Some trace its roots back to the Mughal era, others blame the British (if in doubt blame colonialism), while a few would probably just shrug and tell you it has always been there.
What is known is that by the days of the Raj it had become Calcutta’s unofficial pleasure quarter, catering to everyone from dock workers and soldiers to wealthy babus with more money than sense.
Over time it simply kept growing, and today it has become what is widely regarded as the biggest red light district on the planet. Quite the claim to fame really and in spite of the British having left 80 years ago…..
How does it work?
OK, so disclaimer, I did not partake in any purchasing here. I was merely active as a voyeur. Basically, while the area of Sonagachi is known as the red light district, in actuality this is a great big residential area that, for the most part, is just a normal, if not poor, part of a major Indian city. I will delve more into this in the next section!
The selling of sex tends to occur on certain streets and backstreets of the area. These include Durga Charan Mitra Street, Nilmoni Mitra Street, Avinash Kabiraj Street, Ramakanta Bose Street, and Guha Road as the areas where prostitutes openly operate. I merely checked out Durga Charan Mitra Street, which will be the muse for the account to follow.
Basically, the street is lined with women of quite literally all ages, sizes, and indeed levels of beauty. Unlike in Amsterdam or Pattaya, these ladies are not part of a bar or establishment, but instead try to beckon you over, from where you negotiate. From there you would then go to a dark and dingy apartment in the backstreets to do your thing. Other than that there a few dodgy looking bar type places – which have purple rather than red lights, as well as the add sign advertising massage services.
Prices in Sonagachi are not exactly advertised, but have been stated as follows:
Lower end: ₹300 to ₹1,000 (about US$3.50 to US$12)
Common range: ₹1,000 to ₹3,000 (about US$12 to US$35)
Higher end: ₹5,000 to ₹10,000+ (about US$60 to US$120+)
This is reportedly negotiated directly with the seller, or through middlemen. There were a lot of guys and gals approaching me as I whisked my way through there.
The good and bad of Sonagachi
Let’s make no bones about this, Sonagachi is an extremely controversial place. On the negative side, it is quite literally a place not just where women are arguably forced into prostitution, but also somewhere where this quite literally happens generationally. Kids are quite literally born and brought up in the profession.
Others, though, argue that having it legal, as well as front and centre, has helped bring rights to workers, as well as allow NGOs to do some amazing work. This includes the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, which has not only championed the fight against HIV and AIDS, but has also done things as varied as arranging education for the children of sex workers, as well as even opening a cooperative bank for them.
Were the industry forced underground, as it is in so many other places, such help would not be possible and more people would suffer. At least this is the argument of many.
What else is there to do in Sonagachi?
Here’s the crazy thing, while Sonagachi is most associated with the sex industry, when you walk around most of the area it is not what you see. In fact, this is a proper bustling part of north Calcutta with people living, eating, drinking, and indeed praying as normal. There are shrines everywhere, political posters, and a real vibe to the place.
Again, this is also a bustling part of Calcutta, so that means that there is a real street food Sonagachi scene, something I will deal with in detail on my personal blog. And all manner of Indian street eats are available, such as a few of my big favourites like pani puri, street masala, and Bengali biryani.
The area is also well located with regards to the bars of the lively Park Street, which is about 15 minutes or so from the area, as well as choice boutique hotels like Calcutta Bungalows.
So, while we would never suggest partaking in the vice of the area, visiting Sonagachi, the biggest red light district in the world, sure is interesting enough. Click to see my India Tours.
