Taboo!: The Hidden Culture of a Red Light Area

[Read by Ashlyn Kindberg] Fouzia Saeed heads to the front lines to bust the myths surrounding traditional prostitution in Pakistan. - - Taboo!: The Hidden Culture of a Red Light Area is a journey of discovery into the infamous red-light district of Lahore, Pakistan, known as the Shahi Mohalla (the Royal Bazaar) or Heera Mandi (the market of diamonds). The phenomenon of prostitution coupled with music and dance performances has ancient roots in South Asia. Regardless of the stigma attached to prostitution, it has for centuries given rise to many well-known performing artists. Here author Fouzia Saeed paints a more realistic picture of the phenomenon through the stories of the people living there: the musicians, the prostitutes, and their pimps, managers, and customers.