'Chakla pe Bitha Dein'

Let's admit it: the title reminded you of Kaleen Bhaiya and the stirring quip he makes to his wife. Spoiler alert, this piece has got nothing to do with that. But, I implore you to continue reading. This is not going to be entertaining. But I do hope it will be eye- opening.

Today, I want to talk about one of the largest blood-curdling exploitation instances the world has ever seen. Back when India was still reeling under the British rule, we saw a breeding ground of venereal diseases propagated by the White Man on the 'Heathen Hindoos'.

A veil of ignorance has been cleverly shrouded over this particular episode of the Indian history. We aren't taught about it in textbooks and we have no reminders of the terrible plight that innumerable women of India had to go through. Dear Readers, I want to talk about the Chakla system in colonial India which is the tale of forced prostitution of Indian women in the British regiment.

In their book named The Queen’s Daughters in India, Elizabeth W. Andrew and Katharine C. Bushnell have written extensively on how a brutal system backed by legislation was created using native women for quenching the lust of flesh of the British soldiers.

The book opens with an interesting anecdote occurring a little before the Sepoy Mutiny. In Ambala, a lone English lady found herself in the presence of a British soldier whose intentions were not noble. The man blamed his instincts on his predicament as the British soldiers in service were not allowed to marry. After such an experience, the lady consulted with the high officials of the military for the protection of "high-born ladies" from such perils. This led to the formation of the Chakla system of native women providing ample opportunities for sensual indulgences of soldiers without posing a threat to the 'respectable English community at large'.

The infrastructure created by the British Raj was suited to their comfort. Large plots of land known as Cantonments were carved out for the residence of British soldiers and officers that ensconced this Chakla (Government brothel). Fully equipped with all amenities, the cantonment also served as the ground for the arbitrary laws of the British to prevail. To 'look after the British soldiers', Indian prostitutes were segregated in specially designated enclosures called ‘chaklas’ (brothels) within such cantonments.

About a dozen native women were assigned to a regiment containing about a thousand soldiers. They were duly registered by the Cantonment Magistrate and were licensed to engage only with the British officers. Apart from women that were already in the flesh trade, innumerable women were often coerced or abducted, only to be sold to the cantonment magistrates and forced to work in these chaklas.

The British justified prostitution as safeguards against the “perversion” of homosexuality and safekeeping of the Christian English ladies that lived among them. The real reason was to establish racial dominance through sexual control of Indian women.

Apart from the Chakla, there was another premises outlined to ensure the 'cleanliness' of the native women known as the 'Lock Hospital'. In 1864, 'The Contagious Diseases Act' mandated testing of any Indian woman suspected of STDs at “Lock Hospitals”. Every week or so, women were obligated to undergo a mortifying examination to check if they had been contaminated. Bushnell describes the exam as a 'surgical rape'. Upon being found diseased, they would be forcibly treated till the time they were suitable to provide their services.

There was no scope of escape from the degrading existence of the Chakla as these women were constantly watched over by a superintendent or brothel-keeper called a "Mahaldarni". In addition to running the Chakla successfully, the latter was also given the task of procuring more women as and when required.

On June 17, 1886, a military order, known as the “Infamous Circular Memorandum, ” was sent out to all Cantonments of India by General Chapman, which contained appalling provisions.

The Circular necessitated the procurement of 'attractive & younger Indian women’ into the Chakla for the British soldiers who were tired of the old flesh. But the British didn’t just want Indian sex slaves, they wanted them as attractive & young as possible for maximum pleasure for soldiers.

Then came the time of executing the heinous new rules. Policemen were directed to be on the lookout for young girls who seemed desirable for the job. Such girls would then be captured, taken to the Cantonment & forced to register as Chakla prostitutes.

This is but a small facet of the whole scheme of things that was ushered by the 'Civilized British' under the garb of the 'White Man's Burden'. This episode is hardly ever examined under the lens of colonialism and as a result, the deep-seated colonial sentiments are still echoed in free India.

It is important to remember that these atrocities were committed upon the Indian subjects by the same race that claimed to be the savior of this land by abolishing the Sati practice and Child Marriage! The British Raj was adept at portraying to the whole world that it had managed to tame the savages and had succeeded in civilizing the uncivilized race that was Indians.

What is even more fascinating is that the Englishmen who professed themselves to be the purveyors of morality were the ones engaging in the gruesome practice of 'witch-burning' back in England from around 15th century to 18th century. In the same civilized empire of the White Man, public execution was a form of entertainment, including children. Such public executions were not only well-attended but also cheered boisterously by spectators. Where then was the holier-than-thou approach of the Englishmen?

Now, the question is – did the Englishmen ever consider cleaning their own house before putting someone else's house in order? Did they ever rush to the rescue of the 'oppressed' suffering within the conduits of Christianity before they decided to defame and subsequently eradicate the sum and substance of Bharat?

Thanks for stopping by.

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