I have not come across a more
in depth narration of the living conditions of the inhabitants of the Shahi mohallah
of Lahore. The writer stays at Iqbal’s (a professor of National College of
Arts) place in the Shahi mohallah and closes observes the lives of the people
around her. Brown writes about her interaction with Maha and her daughters.
Maha’s miseries and her financial conditions are brought to surface. When Maha
was young she earned better than what she earned when she started approaching
her middle age. Her daughters are now her only hope. Her marriage with Adnan is
also troublesome.
Living in this part of Lahore,
Maha also discovers the lives of the transgender community. She befriends some
of them and observes their bonds and relationships within the community they
live. Furthermore, the author describes the life around the eateries, cinema,
streets and shops. She also adds the rituals of the month of Moharram when
business in the mohallah is the lowest in the year. The class system and the hierarchies
within the Shahi Mohallah are complex and Brown has explaines them in simple
words. The use of drugs, rape, violence and money is elaborately discussed.
Young girls in the area also do business in the other parts of Lahore. Some of
them visit defence for dance parties and earn their living. Others, not all of
them visit the gulf states and earn money.
Throughout the book the exploitation
of woman is clearly highlighted by the author. Women who live in the mohallah
cannot exit the vicious circle as they have many mouths to feed and they are
the breadwinners for their families. It is saddening to know that daughters are
considered gold, as they ensure the smooth living conditions by selling their bodies.
The daughters when meet the standards of the mohallah sell their bodies and
sustain their lives. Young girls are preferred for the business and are always
in great demand. It would have been more helpful if the author had suggested
some reforms for the denizens of the area. She has just written about a basic
problem, without suggesting few solutions.
Unfortunately, the people
living in the Shahi Mohallah will continue to suffer until drastic reforms are
introduced to stop the exploitation of women which started many centuries ago. Readers
should surely read this book as it presents a heartbreaking story of thousands of
women who have become prey to the horrible exploitative system.
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