Taboo!: The Hidden Culture of a Red Light Area

Taboo! is a journey of discovery into a famous red light district of Lahore, Pakistan, known as 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 the prostitution, it has given birth for centuries to many well-known performing artists. The book captures 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. These people are struggling to make a living by following ancient traditions, yet not knowing clearly where they fit in the larger picture of present day society. Taboo! helps eradicate a blind spot in our understanding of the power relations associated with gender roles throughout our society. Review ''Fouzia Saeed's work is original and extremely significant. It is one of those rare undertakings which a bold and enterprising researcher comes up with, once in decades.'' --Newsline (Karachi) ''An extremely gripping book, bristling with facts.'' --Nation Literary Supplement ''A product of authentic, honest, and unbiased research, narrated in the form of an ethnography, which is an important tool for taking one aspect of a society as a window into the larger system.'' --Star Weekend(Bangladesh) ''The book breaks the myth propagated about prostitutes in the society and presents the reality of their lives as they exist.'' (Bangladesh) --News on Sunday (Manchester) About the Author Fouzia Saeed, with a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Minnesota, has spent the past twelve years in positions related to the task of engendering social change in Pakistan, with organizations like National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, Aga Khan Foundation, and UNDP, Pakistan. She was a founder of the first private organization in Pakistan providing direct services to women in psychological crises, especially those related to rape and domestic violence.