Exploring Margins of Society: Representation of Prostitution in Select Short Stories from South Asia

Despite its historical and cultural significance in South Asia, Prostitution is frequently denied recognition as a legitimate profession due to its deep ties to social stigma and marginalization. Prostitution, grounded in traditions like the Tawaif and Devadasi civilizations, previously had a crucial function in classical art, dance, and social activities, including the struggle for independence. Nonetheless, colonial governance and cultural changes reconfigured these positions, relegating prostitutes to the periphery of society. This research paper analyses selected South Asian short stories to explore the intricate depiction of prostitutes and their relationship with issues of gender inequality, socio-economic oppression, and cultural identity. The study examines works like Krishan Chander’s “A Letter from a Tawaif” (India), Saadat Hasan Manto’s “Siraj” (Pakistan), Selina Hossain’s “Akali’s Life at the Station” (Bangladesh), and Gopal Bahadur Malla ‘Gothale’’s “What Are You Doing Shobha?” (Nepal). By deconstructing the marginalized identities of sex workers and analyzing the similarities and differences in these narratives, this paper seeks to illuminate the complexities of prostitution and its representation in South Asian short stories. It also addresses broader questions about societal margins and the struggle for dignity and agency, offering a comparative perspective on how diverse cultural and socio-political contexts shape these narratives and how the phallocentric approach of our society puts sex workers and their existence on the margins with zero scope of their discourse in the center of the society.