Category Archives: Healthcare

HIV, AIDS education pamphlet distribution

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A student from the University of Montana, USA, contacted me expressing interest in volunteering for my organization and staying at my guest house. I was also looking to initiate a project for sex workers in Benares, so I asked if he would help me organize a program for them. He was very enthusiastic about the idea. Although we didn’t manage to start the program for sex workers due to his busy schedule in Benares and some unexpected tasks I needed to complete, we did distribute pamphlets during the Maha Murkh Sammelan (Biggest Fool Conference).

This festival is uniquely Benares and is celebrated annually on April 1st. This year, over 3,000 people attended the conference. Since Winslow and I were the only ones distributing pamphlets, we aimed to reach around 200-250 people. We set up on the steps of Rajendra Prasad Ghat and began handing out pamphlets. Our target audience was people aged 15 to 45, with a particular focus on those aged 15 to 30. While people were not very interested in taking pamphlets from me, they were quite receptive to Winslow.

Winslow distributed all his pamphlets first, and then I handed him most of mine, so we ended up distributing nearly 150 pamphlets. Initially, we focused on attendees at the festival, but later we wandered along the river, distributing more pamphlets to young people. On April 2nd, Nandlal Master organized an event to inaugurate a water cooler, a computer room, and sewing machines donated to his organization, Lok Samiti. The water cooler was provided by Union Bank of India, and the other items were donated by an organization from South India.

Nandlal had informed me that 600-700 people were expected at the event, so we planned to distribute pamphlets there as well. However, the crowd consisted mainly of children under 10 or adults over 45, so we decided it was best not to distribute pamphlets. Nandlal has also asked me to organize an HIV/AIDS education program for his Kishori centers. These centers are schools run by Lok Samiti and ASHA for girls over 13 years old, with each center hosting about 50-75 girls.

Winslow’s friend, who had lived in Varanasi for a year about two years ago, knew the principal of Delhi Public School and suggested that Winslow meet him. Winslow relayed this to me, and I asked him to inquire whether the school would allow us to organize an HIV/AIDS education workshop there. Delhi Public School is an English-medium school and one of the most prestigious in Benares, if not India. I’ve always wanted to work with English-medium schools because their students are at high risk of contracting STDs, and there’s a lack of sex education in India despite the co-educational system.

This presents a valuable opportunity for me to get involved with English-medium schools, and I am looking forward to it. However, there is a significant issue with funding, which remains unresolved.

Condom usage demonstration & training to the sex workers

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Seranna and I accomplished something unprecedented in India. On the final day of the conference, we conducted a condom usage demonstration in front of a crowd of 6,000 to 7,000 people. We provided training to sex workers on how to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and also shared strategies for improving their earnings. Through our interviews with sex workers, we discovered that their knowledge of STDs was limited, with HIV being the most commonly recognized. To address this gap, I asked Seranna to include information about various STDs in her presentation. Given that she was scheduled to speak on the last day of the conference, we saw it as a prime opportunity to reach a large audience and spread vital health information effectively.

Seranna and I on the stage, I was really confused:)

Seranna was deeply moved by the extreme poverty faced by Indian sex workers. She contrasted it with the situation in the West, where sex workers often earn significantly more. For example, she mentioned that in the West, she charges $300 per hour—an amount that represents two to three months’ salary for an Indian sex worker. Seranna was eager to share her insights on how sex workers could potentially increase their earnings from clients. Although reaching that level of income might take time for Indian sex workers, she believed that providing them with this knowledge could be beneficial. On the final day of the conference, which was attended by around 6,000 to 7,000 people, the majority of whom were sex workers, Seranna’s presentation was a valuable opportunity to impart this information and inspire change.

Me acting as a doggy customer

Since we only finalized the details of Seranna’s presentation on the morning of the event, we were under significant time constraints. With just a few hours to prepare, we decided to make the presentation more engaging by incorporating a skit. I had requested that Seranna bring some sex toys for the demonstration, and she brought three dildos. Seranna was enthusiastic about using them to illustrate key points in the presentation. However, I was concerned about using sex toys in front of such a large audience, especially given that they are illegal in India. This added an extra layer of anxiety about how the presentation might be received and whether it could cause any issues.

I had no idea what was going on

I asked Seranna to check with the conference organizer about using sex toys in our presentation. The organizer gave us the green light, but I was still apprehensive about displaying them in front of such a large audience. I approached the organizer myself for a second opinion, and he reassured me that it was fine. Seranna and I then discussed our approach for the presentation. We agreed that it should be engaging and not just a lecture. We decided to incorporate some comedy, as Seranna often does, to keep the audience entertained. The next challenge was that the audience primarily spoke Bengali, so we needed a translator to convert our presentation from English to Bengali.

I laugh every time I see this photo 🙂

We asked the organizer for a translator, and they provided us with a Bengali-English interpreter. For our presentation, I took on the role of a difficult customer who refused to pay upfront and insisted on not using condoms, while Seranna portrayed a savvy sex worker. To emphasize my role, I wore a mask shaped like male genitalia. The presentation began with Seranna requesting payment upfront, but I, in character, insisted on receiving services before paying. This led to a heated exchange, with Seranna repeatedly asserting that she required payment before providing her services, while I countered by arguing that I should pay only after receiving them. Ultimately, Seranna refused to provide the services, illustrating the importance of securing payment in advance.

Some toys we used in the presentation

Then, I agreed to pay upfront. Through this, we aimed to emphasize to the other sex workers the importance of securing payment before providing services, as some clients might not pay after receiving them. Afterward, Seranna introduced the dildo, which caused a hushed silence in the audience. I felt quite uncomfortable, but hoped it would be beneficial for everyone at the conference. Seranna demonstrated how to use the dildo, showing a technique to ensure that clients’ genitalia are disease-free before providing services. She emphasized that this practice could help protect sex workers from potential health risks.

After this, Seranna instructed me to use a condom, but I continued to resist, playing the role of a reluctant client who didn’t want to use one. I argued that since I was married and she looked safe, there was no need for protection. Seranna countered by pointing out that diseases aren’t visible on the face, emphasizing the importance of using condoms to prevent STDs, including HIV/AIDS. Eventually, I agreed to use the condom. Following this, Seranna demonstrated how to enhance the client experience by having me lay on my stomach on the bench for a massage and then performing a “boob slide.” The goal of this demonstration was to educate sex workers on how to engage more effectively with clients, offering additional services that could lead to higher satisfaction, better tips, and increased earnings.

Seranna demonstrated proper condom usage by placing it over the dildo. The dildo was large, requiring her to try twice. She added a humorous touch by commenting on the dildo’s size, which caused the previously silent audience to laugh and applaud. After successfully placing the condom, Seranna performed a demonstration of oral sex. We had several toys representing different sexually transmitted diseases. Seranna would simulate oral sex and then display the toys, explaining how they are spread and their potential consequences. I appreciated her clear and informative explanations about these diseases.

And then she acted like we were having sex and she would ask me if I was enjoying it. This was also one very important part of this training to tell sex workers to keep talking to their clients about how they feel while having sex. This way the men become more erected and cum early (I believe in the idea of working smart, not hard). So good for sex workers. By this time our time and bench’s life was finished. It broke and we fell down on the ground and this brought dead silence amongst the audience. But finally everyone started making noise, laughing and clapping. I loved it.

Finally, I gave Seranna a tip for her exceptional performance. I believe that introducing such innovative approaches to sex work could significantly improve the lives of Indian sex workers. Indian men would likely appreciate these services, but it’s unclear why such practices are not more common among local sex workers. I hope this presentation helps them earn more and make positive changes in their lives. Immediately after the presentation, we were surrounded by media, social workers, sex workers, and other attendees, all eager to speak with us and conduct interviews. It was a fantastic experience. We’re considering doing something similar in the US next June.

Interview with sex workers

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We interviewed several sex workers in Kolkata for the documentary, and I was fortunate to serve as the interpreter between them and Seranna, which allowed me to speak with them personally. One notable observation was that many of the sex workers we spoke with had entered the profession after experiencing significant hardships in their lives. For example, I spoke with a sex worker originally from Faizabad, now residing in Kolkata. She shared that she had married a Muslim man against her family’s wishes, leading her to leave her home and move to Kolkata.

After spending a few months in Kolkata, she discovered that her husband was a drug user. Despite her repeated pleas for him to quit drugs and find a job, he refused to change. When she had a child, their financial situation became dire, as her husband was unemployed and she couldn’t seek help from her family due to the conflict caused by her interfaith marriage. Faced with these challenges, she decided to leave her home and turn to sex work at a brothel. She is now happy with her life, feeling that it is better than what her husband could provide.

She enjoys a newfound independence and freedom, and has even rebuilt her relationship with her family. Initially, there were issues when her family learned she had become a sex worker, but those conflicts have since been resolved. Notably, she worked as a program coordinator for Durbar, the sex workers’ organization. Her role brought her into the public eye, and when her neighbors from her hometown saw her on TV discussing sex work, they began inquiring about her parents. Her parents urged her to leave the profession, but she is resolute in her decision to remain a sex worker. She is very content with her life and even hopes to continue in this profession in her next life.

When asked about her wishes for her child, she expressed a desire for them to attend school and secure a stable job. However, a significant challenge for sex workers is getting their children admitted to school. Most sex workers in India lack residential proof, as many are brought from countries like Nepal or Bangladesh, or they frequently change their residences. Because many sex workers come from other countries, or even if they are from within India, they often lack residential proof. This is due to frequent changes in their place of residence or the controlling nature of brothel owners.

Typically, sex workers are not permitted to leave the brothel area. While some may work at hotels, this opportunity is limited. Brothel owners usually only send those who have been with them for several years, as these workers are considered less likely to run away. In some cases, brothel owners also send someone along with the sex workers when they go to hotels to ensure they remain under control. Another major issue for sex workers is the low income they earn from their profession. In India, sex work is very inexpensive, and sex workers often lack social identity and security.

Typically, they charge between Rs. 50-100 per client, as sex work is usually brief—clients often engage in sex for just 5-10 minutes and then leave. Sometimes, they do not even see the face of the person they are with. Both sex workers and clients prefer to keep their identities hidden, which contributes to the clandestine nature of the work. Sometimes, sex workers spend up to an hour with a single client, earning around Rs. 500 for that session. However, this is not the norm. Typically, they see numerous clients each day, often making only Rs. 50 per client after giving half of their earnings to the brothel owner.

Though they might have a few regular clients who are more generous and even book overnight sessions, these opportunities are rare. The majority of their income is minimal, forcing them to see more than ten clients daily, which takes a significant physical and emotional toll on them. Due to the lack of residential proof, sex workers struggle to open bank accounts or access services that require identity verification. In India, stringent checks for residential documents have become more common since the Mumbai bomb blasts, exacerbating the difficulties faced by sex workers. If they are caught without proper documentation, they risk being sent to jail.

Many sex workers reported that police raids are frequent, during which they are often beaten, abused, or imprisoned. Ironically, the same officers who conduct these raids sometimes return the following day to solicit sexual services from them. The sex workers explained that brothel owners typically pay local police stations a bribe each month to avoid raids. Despite this, the police still conduct raids when there is political pressure or an opportunity for personal gain. Some sex workers recounted disturbing experiences where police officers took them to jail and sexually assaulted them there. It was deeply shocking to hear how those meant to uphold the law were instead violating it.

They also mentioned that, in some cases, the police have even targeted the children of sex workers, which was particularly horrifying and hard to believe. When we asked sex workers about their services, most said they do not perform oral sex or offer massages to their clients. Only one woman admitted to giving oral sex, but only to select clients. In India, discussing oral sex is taboo, and it is often not mentioned by sex workers. This reluctance is surprising, as providing such services could potentially increase their earnings. The reasons for this silence are unclear, but some believe it is considered an “English style” of sex, though it may have historical roots in India. It’s possible that this practice was introduced by the British and then spread globally.

One of the sex workers shared a story from the early days of Durbar’s efforts to provide basic literacy and education. Durbar sought to rent a room from the local community to start their classes. Despite their best efforts, which included approaching nearly everyone in the neighborhood over a two-month period, no one agreed to rent them a space. Many residents questioned Durbar’s motives, arguing that educating sex workers would lead them to disrespect others and make their own decisions. As a result, Durbar had to set up the classes at their own office, which was about a kilometer away from the brothels.

Another interesting observation was that many sex workers have a regular client who holds a special place in their lives. This client is not merely a customer but acts like a life partner, often providing support for the sex worker’s children. One significant challenge for sex workers is getting their children admitted to school, as they are required to provide the name of the child’s father. Since this can be difficult due to their circumstances, some of these special clients step in and provide their name as the father, helping the sex workers with the admission process.

We also inquired about sexually transmitted diseases, and, frankly, most sex workers were only aware of HIV. They knew about lubricants but had limited knowledge beyond that. Despite using condoms, they reported frequent breakage, which they attributed mainly to poor-quality condoms. I believe that using lubricant could help prevent such issues. Before meeting Lane, I had never seen lubricant myself, and I’m puzzled as to why it’s not readily available in our market. The sex workers clearly need more comprehensive training and education on sexual health, but unfortunately, the government is doing little to address these needs.

All the sex workers we spoke to expressed a strong belief that sex work should be decriminalized, a sentiment I share. I consider sex work to be one of the world’s oldest professions, possibly even the oldest, alongside agriculture. Legalizing and decriminalizing it is crucial, as sex workers are an integral part of society and deserve the same respect as anyone else. Unfortunately, achieving this change in India will likely be a prolonged struggle, given the current state of our politics. Often, when one political faction attempts to make progress on this issue, others obstruct their efforts. Despite these challenges, organizations like Durbar are making commendable strides, and I remain hopeful for meaningful change in the future.

Comparing Countries Compassion

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Seranna has launched a documentary series titled *Comparing Countries: Compassion in Kolkata*, focusing on sex work and the lives of sex workers in India. This project is part of a broader initiative where she plans to explore these issues in various countries, but she chose to start in India. I’ve been selected to assist her in organizing interviews and will also be interviewed about my work with Sanjeevani Booti. Seranna hired a camera crew from Delhi for the project, but unfortunately, they have not been up to par. The crew, especially the cameraman, has been problematic—frequently engaging in disputes with each other in front of the interviewees. Their unprofessional behavior extends to asking inappropriate questions during interviews. Seranna has been visibly frustrated, but there’s little we can do, as the production company, though prominent and helmed by an award-winning director, does not have the director present for this project.

This documentary, *Comparing Countries: Compassion in Kolkata*, focuses on the legal landscapes surrounding sex work in different countries. I am thrilled to be involved in such a meaningful project. My role includes contributing ideas on direction and handling translations. I’ve translated several interviews with sex workers, social activists, university professors, transgender individuals, and children of sex workers. The project has been incredibly rewarding. We conducted a condom usage demonstration and provided training for sex workers on maintaining their safety and maximizing their earnings. I’m confident that this documentary will be a significant success. I feel fortunate to be part of this impactful work.

Seranna interviewing Laxmi Narayan Tripathi

Sex worker’s conference

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Today marked the inauguration of the conference, and we arrived around 9 o’clock. The event took place in a spacious hall, filled with nearly a thousand attendees, including sex workers from various parts of India and abroad. It was the largest gathering of sex workers I’ve ever seen. There were also many Hijras present, and participants from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Australia, Hong Kong, the US, and the UK. However, the majority were from India and Bangladesh. The event was graced by the Mayor of Kolkata, some religious leaders, and numerous other VIPs as chief guests.

I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Jana, a member of the Government of India’s advisory board on HIV and AIDS programs. He is the founder of the Sonagachi Project, a remarkable initiative that has become a global model for success. The conference was organized into two daily sessions, each lasting three hours. The second session featured a panel discussion on whether sex workers should be considered entertainment workers. Although the conversation was predominantly in Bengali, I managed to grasp about half of it.

It was fascinating to hear the sex workers share their perspectives and experiences. Many spoke about the challenges they face, particularly those related to police harassment and societal discrimination. A recurring issue highlighted was the difficulty their children face in gaining school admissions due to their parents’ profession. Additionally, they struggle with opening bank accounts or obtaining insurance because they lack residential proof. This also means they might have trouble accessing online services, as identity verification is now required at cybercafés.

During the conference, a few media representatives approached Seranna for interviews about our documentary. She was interviewed first, followed by myself. They were interested in discussing the Sanjeevani Booti project. After my interview, they spoke with other foreigners, Hijras, and sex workers. I’m eager to interview a few sex workers myself, as this is a unique opportunity to gain deeper insights into their lives and experiences. I plan to conduct these interviews tomorrow.

HIV & AIDS workshop at girls’ school

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We recently organized a workshop at Gopi Radha Girls School in Varanasi, where social workers and volunteers from Sanjeevani Booti conducted a presentation on HIV and AIDS. This has been a long-standing goal, and it was exciting to see it finally come to fruition. We presented to the 9th and 11th grade girls, though we had hoped to reach the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. Unfortunately, the school did not allow presentations for the 10th and 12th grades due to their upcoming exams. The 11th grade presentation took place on February 11th, and the 9th grade presentation on February 12th.

Class 9th students

We had originally planned to send one girl and one boy to each class, but the school only permitted female presenters, so we were able to send only girls. While I have some very motivated girls interested in this issue, they prefer paid positions rather than volunteering. Although I understand that finding people willing to work for free is challenging, this situation complicates my project. I currently lack regular donors and do not want to rely on just a few individuals. I need new sources of financial support for my projects.

Presentation about HIV infection

We also had valuable assistance from two international volunteers who helped make the event a success. Claire Abraham from Montreal, Canada, and Christina Hunter from San Francisco, USA, contributed significantly. Claire had been supporting me for the past month, providing information and training for Sanjeevani Booti’s social workers. Unfortunately, she could only attend the workshop on the 11th due to her need to travel to Nepal for a visa extension. Christina joined us on the second day.

School staff and Volunteers of Sanjeevani Booti

Some of the girls requested that we discuss condoms, sex, and sexually transmitted diseases in more detail. However, we refrained from showing condoms due to concerns about the school administration’s reaction. The girls have expressed a desire for a more comprehensive workshop on these topics, but organizing such an event is expensive. I am in touch with several doctors and social workers from other organizations to help make the next event successful.

Class 9th Students

I believe it would be valuable for the students to hear about HIV from people living with the virus. There is a network of HIV-positive individuals in Varanasi, and I hope to invite some of them to future events. While everything went well, I am concerned about the future. I realize that I need to learn how to write grant proposals to secure funding. Claire had promised to teach me this skill, and I am looking forward to her return in the next few days.

Sanjeevani Booti Staff with Students

25 new HIV patients everyday

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Today, Claire and I visited the NACO (National AIDS Control Organization) center at BHU to obtain data on HIV patients in Varanasi for our upcoming school workshop. Initially, the counselor refused to provide any data and directed us to seek permission from the head of the department first. Despite informing her that we were from an NGO, she remained unwilling to share any information. We then went to the head of the department’s office but were unable to meet him as he was occupied with another matter.

We spent two hours waiting in the counselor’s room, where we observed many people coming in for testing. I met a girl who is HIV-positive and now volunteers at the NACO center. After spending some time with Claire, the counselor warmed up to us and eventually provided the information we needed. I suspect her change of heart was influenced by Claire’s presence. She mentioned that NACO has testing centers in many districts across Uttar Pradesh, but the BHU center is the only one in Poorvanchal with an ELISA testing facility.

Poorvanchal is a region in Uttar Pradesh comprising seventeen districts. I was surprised to learn that people seeking HIV tests from across the region ultimately come to the Varanasi center. Although testing is available in their own districts, those results are not considered final. The ELISA test, which is the most reliable, is only available at the BHU center in Poorvanchal. The counselor noted a significant increase in HIV cases over the past few years. When she started her job nine years ago, they saw around five to six hundred people seeking tests each month. Today, that number has risen to between one hundred fifty and two hundred.

She also reported that a few years ago, they had fifty to a hundred positive results each month, but now they have at least twenty-five positive results every day. This increase was staggering and hard to believe. Interestingly, these figures only reflect those who have been referred by doctors; it doesn’t account for individuals who may be unaware of their HIV status. The counselor expressed concern that the number of positive cases will likely continue to rise due to inadequate government action.

She was dissatisfied with her job, citing a low salary. According to her, while WHO provides substantial funding to the Indian government, and then the Indian government allocates money to the Uttar Pradesh government and NACO, much of the funding is consumed by politicians and others involved in the project. One positive aspect of their work is that they now provide free ARVs (antiretrovirals) to HIV-positive patients, but only to those with a CD4 count below a critical level. Although I inquired about the specific CD4 threshold, she did not disclose it.

Vodeo filming for AIDSvideos.org

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I have received a project from an American organization called AIDSvideos.org, which produces videos to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS. They want me to create videos in every major Indian language. They have provided twenty-seven different scripts in five Indian languages, making it a long-term project. My tasks include translating these scripts into various Indian languages and then producing the videos. Since there are twenty-two official languages in India, completing the entire project could take several years.

I recently made a Hindi video using one of their scripts for Sanjeevani Booti, but it didn’t turn out as expected. During that time, an American student named Allen Roda from New York University was staying with me and had a high-quality camera. We used his camera to film the video. Without a teleprompter, I had the script printed and placed it on either side of the camera for the speaker to read. While this setup seemed fine on the small camera screen, it revealed issues when played on a larger TV. The speaker’s eyes were constantly shifting from side to side as they read from the different pages, making the video look unprofessional. Therefore, I’ve decided to re-record it.

Ravikant

I am encountering additional challenges. Lane and I searched for teleprompter software and found some that worked well with English scripts. However, these programs do not support Hindi or other Indian languages. Without a teleprompter, recording long scripts becomes very difficult. The script is eighteen minutes long, and it is nearly impossible for anyone to memorize such a lengthy text and present it smoothly on camera.

Our camera setup

I was very excited about this project, but the lack of a suitable teleprompter has become a significant obstacle. The speakers are concerned that they won’t be able to remember the entire script. Additionally, I translated the script into Bhojpuri, which was challenging due to the language’s many regional variations and accents. I aimed to write in a simple Bhojpuri that would be understandable to a broad audience. I’m confident that the translation will work well, but I am still unable to start producing the videos. I hope Lane will find a solution to the teleprompter issue soon. Meanwhile, I am also reaching out to others and searching online for potential fixes. I am eager to get this project underway and am excited about its potential.

Allen Roda

Condom

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I believe condoms are one of the greatest inventions of science—one of its most significant gifts to us. Despite their importance, many people still do not use them, and what prompted me to write this post is the embarrassment some people feel when buying condoms. I find it perplexing why so many are shy about purchasing them. Why is it so difficult to say the word “condoms”? People often go into shops intending to buy condoms but end up leaving with something else, like candies, because they can’t bring themselves to ask for condoms.

One of my close friends got married last year, and I gave him a large packet of condoms as a gift. A few days after his wedding, he called me urgently, saying he needed to meet immediately. Although I was far from home, he insisted it was very important, so I hurried back to meet him. When I arrived, he was still waiting at the spot where he had called me. I was worried something serious had happened, but when we met, he took me aside and confessed that he needed me to buy condoms for him.

I was initially taken aback, thinking he was joking, but he was completely serious. He had waited an hour for me because he was too embarrassed to buy condoms himself. He explained that he felt uncomfortable asking for them because all the shopkeepers in his neighborhood knew him personally. I told him that the shopkeepers knew he was newly married and, therefore, expected him to buy condoms at some point. So, I didn’t understand why he was so embarrassed. Nevertheless, he remained uncomfortable with the idea of buying them.

I asked where he had been getting condoms for the past few days since my gift wasn’t going to last forever. He told me he had been traveling to a different neighborhood to make his purchases. I tried to encourage him to buy condoms himself and suggested he go to the store. However, he still hesitated. Eventually, I took him to a shop and told him just to stand there while I made the purchase for him. The amusing part was that he ran away before I even reached the store.

He frequently asks me for advice on how to dispose of used condoms. I’ve suggested various methods, but he refuses to follow any of them. I told him to wrap them up and throw them in the trash bin, but he worries that his family might discover that he uses condoms. I recommended disposing of them in a public trash bin, but he fears that his neighbors might find out. I even suggested flushing them down the toilet, but he is still concerned about his family.

When I saw him a few days ago, I asked if he had started buying condoms on his own. He admitted that he no longer uses them because he found it too difficult to both purchase and dispose of them. I still want him to use condoms, and I’m trying to find ways to make him more comfortable with both buying and disposing of them. However, I doubt he will ever get over his reluctance, even though he enjoys discussing the topic. For him, it remains a challenging task.

The second story involves another friend of mine who runs a convenience store. I visit his shop every day, but I was unaware that he sold condoms because they were always hidden. A few days ago, I noticed the packets and bought a few. Since I pay him monthly, he was supposed to record the purchase in his register. However, he didn’t do so because he was uncomfortable with noting that I had bought condoms. I couldn’t understand his reasoning.

I have discussed this with him more than five times, but he insists on not recording it. He is embarrassed that his father or other family members might discover that he sells condoms. Although it doesn’t make much sense to me, it’s his reality. Eventually, he tallied the amount for the condoms I bought and wrote it down as if I had purchased coconut oil instead. So, I have one friend who is too shy to buy condoms, and another who is too shy to sell them.

These issues are significant problems in a country like India, where the number of HIV cases is rapidly increasing. Solving such problems is crucial for improving public health awareness and combating the spread of HIV. Varanasi is the largest consumer of condoms in Uttar Pradesh, but in this city, condoms are not primarily used for birth control or to prevent STDs. Instead, they are used in the weaving process. Approximately 600,000 condoms are sold in Varanasi every day, and the majority of them are utilized for weaving. Artisans rub condoms on the loom’s shuttle to make the weaving process smoother and more efficient.

Over 90% of weavers in Varanasi are Muslims. If the same people who use condoms for weaving were to start using them for birth control, it could lead to significant changes in India. Just as condoms speed up the weaving process, they could accelerate our development if used more widely for family planning. By learning to utilize condoms for their intended purpose, we could see broader societal benefits.

Will No Smoking work in India?

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The Indian government’s decision to ban smoking in public places, announced on October 2nd—Gandhi’s birthday—seemed almost laughable. I was skeptical about whether people would adhere to this new rule. During the first week after its implementation, media outlets captured images of people smoking in public areas and presented them to the District Magistrate (DM), questioning whether the rule applied to Benares. The DM responded that they had not yet received a written copy of the regulations, so they were unsure how to enforce the ban.

Recently, I visited Delhi and went to the Delhi High Court for some work. To my surprise, I saw many advocates and police officers smoking within the court premises. At first, I thought I must have mistakenly entered the wrong place because it seemed inconceivable that law enforcement and legal professionals would flout the very laws they are meant to uphold. There was a canteen inside the court where smoking seemed permissible, but many people, including advocates, were smoking outside the canteen.

After finishing my work, I went to a tea shop about 50 meters from the High Court and asked for a cigarette. The shopkeeper informed me that he did not sell cigarettes. When I inquired about the nearest place to buy cigarettes, he directed me to a shop inside the High Court. He explained that selling tobacco products near the High Court was prohibited, yet tobacco products were sold within the court premises. The inconsistency left both of us puzzled. It’s common to see people smoking in public spaces, including trains and buses, despite a long-standing ban.

Many restaurants catering to foreigners still permit smoking. Although there was some discussion about the new law in its early days, I doubt anyone follows it, and I believe it will continue to be ignored. The law seems to be ridiculed, and there’s a prevailing belief that it won’t work in India. Ironically, while the government sought to curb cigarette smoke with this law, it recently repealed the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), which was enacted by the previous BJP government to combat terrorism.

Although terrorism persisted under POTA, the law kept it in check to some extent. Since its repeal, the number of terrorist activities has surged dramatically. While countries around the world are enacting new laws to combat terrorism, India appears to be moving in the opposite direction by withdrawing existing ones. The repeal of POTA was driven by political motivations rather than effectiveness. In the last six months alone, India has experienced sixty-four bomb blasts—a record high. This escalation highlights the urgent need for effective counter-terrorism measures, rather than dismantling the tools that helped control it.