An Educated Women In Prostitution -A Memoir of Lust, Exploitation, Deceit (Calcutta, 1929)
By Manada Devi
Translated by Arunava Sinha
Manada Devi also known as Miss Mukherjee, Feroza Bibi and Maani didi, writes about her life as a prostitute. we don't know if this character is actually real or not. According to the manuscript Manada Devi was born in Calcutta into a high class Brahmin family. She was sent to Bethune school, had private tutor teaching her literature. At an young age she lost her mother and being neglected by her stepmother and father she found comfort with her cousins. Her male cousin Ramesh dada exploited her at a tender age of 15 when she eloped with him and ended up pregnant and left all alone. She was disown by her father and without bad company lands in prostitution.
Manada devi in this memoir talks about the painful life as a sex worker , the patriarchal society , the double standard high class males exploiting females and also the political environment of Bengal.
I, as a reader have taken the book way too seriously and somehow I am pissed off with the character and her callousness. Why did she choose prostitution? She wasnt forced !There is a line in the book which say ' the lawyer sells his intellect, teachers sells his education even the spiritual leader sells his incantations ; why should alluring women not sell their body then? And this line heard from a prostitute made Manada Devi choose this world. She has mention that with her education she could have easily done jobs like teaching children which would have let her live a respectful life but with bad company she choose the road to hell.
In my opinion ( solely my personal point of few) I don't feel its the bad company which dragged her to hell it was her decision, her willingness, the lust which made her join the group. The book also mention about very famous people like Vidya Sagar, Shib Nath Shahtri, CR Das who in that time period were actually fighting for women's right which includes widow remarriage or saving women who were abused by family or disowned, by giving them shelter . In fact she was been constantly told to leave the place and start something new. But I guess scanty education lead her to ruin her own life with arrogance pouring in.
Exploitation by the upper class was definitely mentioned in the book, the double standard life of high class men who lived shamelessly, guilt free life keeping mistress yet looked down upon prostitute, or kept restriction in their own home. Yet among all these things there were men who fought day and night to give the right life to women.
Written in simple language, an eye opening revelation on the colonial time period in Bengal. The rich literature which calls for the revolution. So much of thoughts I have for this book. Do read it . Also do give it a thought did the orthodox society change yet in this century?
Lines from the book:
- Since nature has decreed that women feel desire at the age of fourteen it is best for them to be married before that.
- Illegitimate love is always born out of passion. But passion is by nature short-lived, and not the result of discernment. Therefore, a love that arises swiftly ends swiftly too.’
