BADI-Born To Sell Their Bodies

BADI - Born To Sell Their Bodies
Song, Dance and Prostitution in the Badi Community

Traditionally, the Badi were itinerant singers and dancers in the houses of the rural nobility of India and Nepal. Today, their children are still trained to sing and dance, although the Badi ply their trade in villages and truck stops.

Badi Woman
A woman of the Badi sex worker caste prepares herself for clients while her mother and younger sister look on. Badi girls are raised knowing that when they reach menarche, they will support their families with clients brought to the home. Dang, Western Nepal.
Shusila
Sushila, a woman of the Badi caste, entertains a client. The Badi of western Nepal originally came to Nepal India back in the fourteenth century. Traditionally a caste of singers, dancers and musicians, the Badi turned to prostitution when their patronage ran out. Now, it is a home industry, in which parents procure for their valued daughter. Midwestern Region, Nepal.
Truckstop sex worker
Traditionally, the Badi were itinerant singers and dancers, entertaining rich feudal landlords around India and Nepal. Today, their childeren are still trained to sing and dance, although the Badi ply their trade in villages and along the truckstops routes. The women and girls who work Nepal’s truckstop have among the highest risk of any sex workers in the country of contracting HIV. Central Region, Nepal.
Sangeeta
The Badi woman Sangeeta, 18, conducts sex work to support her parents and siblings. ‘The men who come to visit me are usually drunk, they just use me. I am ashamed to do these “bad things’, but we need the money’. Mid Western Region, Nepal.
Badi Tradition
Traditionally, the Badi were itinerant singers and dancers, entertaining rich feudal landlords around India and Nepal. Today, their childeren are still trained to sing and dance, although the Badi ply their trade in villages and along the truckstops routes. At the age of 12, Pramila, lost her eye-sight. Her mother died in child birth. To make a living Parmila conducts sex work to suppor her children and widowed father. Her daughter on the left and her father on right carrying her son. Far Western Nepal.
Pushpa
Pushpa: "When I was a child, I watched my mother entertain clients. I helped my grandmother when they came to the house, serving them liquor and small plates of food. I really didn’t want to be a sex worker. But what can I do? This is our tradition, we are Badi. I don’t want this life for my daughter. See this clay pot/ every day I drop a coin into this pot. It is for her. I want her to have an education. Far Western Nepal
Pushpa
Pushpa: "When I was a child, I watched my mother entertain clients. I helped my grandmother when they came to the house, serving them liquor and small plates of food. I really didn’t want to be a sex worker. But what can I do? This is our tradition, we are Badi. I don’t want this life for my daughter. See this clay pot/ every day I drop a coin into this pot. It is for her. I want her to have an education. Far Western Nepal
Pushpa
Pushpa began selling her body at the age of seventeen for four years. Although the Badi sex worker controls the family purse, that purse is intended to support her own family and no other. Badi parents usually refuse to let their daughters marry, unless they have other daughters or an alternative source of income, such as land. Thus, many Badi women are forced to elope. Pushpa says, "When my marriage didn't work out, i returned home. My parents scolded me upon my return. Now my father brings men home for me. I sell sex to them. What can I do? This is our tradition. We are Badi." Far Western Nepal.
Badi woman.
Tatalau
Tatalau, now 79, is among the last of the who performed as a classical singer and dancer. ‘The girls today are like the wind. They do not have the patience and discipline necessary for classical music. That is why they have to prostitute themselves’ Mid Western Region, Nepal.
Pushpa
Tatalau is a 76-year old Badi woman. A woman of spirit, she still carries the vestiges of her former beauty. Atrained singer and dancer, she is of the old school and prides herself on being an artist. "I have performed for Maharaja both in Nepal and India. The girls today are like the winds, they do not have the patience and discipline necessary for classical music. That is why they have to prostitute themselves," she declares. Dang, Tulsipur, Nepal.
Badi Household
In the Badi household that conduct sex work, parents usually take the good care of their daughter. Most of the young girls in these household expects to continue in their mother’s profession. But although fortunate to have a defined community and families to support them, the “untouchable”’ caste of these sex workers provides few alternative work options. And with their obligations to provide food and shelter for their families, it becomes difficult for Badi girls to escape a life of prostitution. Many Badi women, however, want a different life for their daughters. Midwestern Region, Nepal.
Poonam
Children of the Badi community in the dormitory of their hostel, operated by the NGO Social Awareness for Education (SAFE). But the biggest fear remains is if the hostel closes, the children will be sent back to their homes and will fall back into the family business. Some of the children in the hostels are reaching the age of 17. They soon must go back into the world. Although they have been given vocational training, there are few jobs available for Nepali women, especially from the Badi caste - and sex work pays more than almost any other job. Midwestern Region, Nepal.
Poonam
Children of the Badi community in the dormitory of their hostel, operated by the NGO Social Awareness for Education (SAFE). But the biggest fear remains is if the hostel closes, the children will be sent back to their homes and will fall back into the family business. Some of the children in the hostels are reaching the age of 17. They soon must go back into the world. Although they have been given vocational training, there are few jobs available for Nepali women, especially from the Badi caste - and sex work pays more than almost any other job. Midwestern Region, Nepal.
Dilip Pariyar, Director of SAFE.
"The hostel is a creative learning environment," says Dilip Pariyar, Director of SAFE. Dilip is sanguine about the realities that the children will face.
Children of the Badi community at school.
Poonam
An eight year old Poonam (in front) along with other girls walk down the road to the government primary school. New in school. Seen behind is Badi houses. Poonam is still shy and depends on the support of her more experienced "sisters". In her village, none of the Badi girls was allowed to attend school. She is the first girl of her community to receive an education. Dang, Western Nepal
Badi Children
It is extremely difficult for Badi girl children to escape a life of prostitution. Most of the few Badi girls who enter primary school soon drop out, in part because they are treated as untouchables- and worse, as members of a “sex worker caste”- and in part because girls are encouraged by their families to direct their lives towards sex work. Far Western Nepal.
Badi Tradition
Nature is a playground for these Badi children. the more fortunate ones are inrolled into school by various private and govt. AID projects, however, it is likely that the girls will follow in their mother's footsteps. Dang, Nepal. Midwestern Region, Nepal.
Badi Tradition
Some of the badi maintain their traditional occupation as itinerant dancers and musicians, sometimes traveling as far afield as Tibet. Purang, West Tibet.
Badi Hostel operated by SAFE
The hostels operated by Social Awareness for Education (SAFE), a local organization dedicated to supporting the Badi and other "small-caste" communities. Soon after SAFE arrived in Dang, Badi women expressed their hopes that their children would be spared from entering their profession. They wanted to keep their children away from the clients, while having an opportunity to spend time with them each day. A year later the hostel was opened. Badi children performing dance. Dange, Western Nepal.
Badi Tradition
Badi Youth a dance-drama for thier fellow badi, in an effort to restore pride in their old traditions. Tulsipur, Western Nepal. Traditionally, the Badi were the itinerant singers and dancers in the houses of the rural nobility of India and Nepal. Today, their childeren are still trained to sing and dance, although the Badi ply their trade in villages and truckstops.
Badi Tradition
An NGO firmed by Badi woman named SAFE, who recieves donations from all over the world, has created an income generation project consisting of producing tie-dye textiles and embriodery sewing as a viable alternative for the Badi women.
STD/HIV Intervention Program
NGO formed by rehabilitated sex workers, they are being trained as peer councelors and about how to use condoms and safe sex. They will perform outreach activity within the high risk trafficking area in hopes of stemming the exodus of young girls to Mumbai and other big cities of India. Kathmandu, Nepal.
STD/HIV Intervention Program
NGO formed by rehabilitated sex workers, they are being trained as peer councelors and about how to use condoms and safe sex. They will perform outreach activity within the high risk trafficking area in hopes of stemming the exodus of young girls to Mumbai and other big cities of India. Kathmandu, Nepal.

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