I am a native of Pitapuram, who later migrated to Peddapuram. Due to our family conditions and financial crisis, I had to enter this profession. Almost 70 years ago, when I was around 20-25 years old, I came here along with my grandfather. My parents died, when I was young and my relatives didn’t care about me. Even the government didn’t help us. Due to inevitable conditions, I landed up here.

We are hearing about diseases like HIV now, but back when we entered this profession, there were no such diseases. We are into this profession for generations now. All our children got married
with these earnings. I didn’t marry my husband. He used to visit me every now and then. He used to give me the required groceries and money. He too died after a few years. I have four children- two sons and two daughters. Both my sons died, due to alcoholism and one of my daughters died due to cancer. Recently, the government granted us a pension. Last month we got 3,000, but we don’t know how much we will get this month. During our times, police raids never used to happen.

My granddaughter is employed and takes care of me now. She gives me food and the government gives me a pension.

We come from Bhogam dance family. We used to go to different villages to give a dance performance. This is the only memory I have from my childhood.

My sons, daughter, and daughters-in-law died before me and those were the most painful incidents of my life. I will make sure that my next generation will not enter this profession. One of my granddaughters is married. Sometimes, I feel that our lives are happy before independence only. In those days, we used to get a lot of groceries and things for just two rupees. Now the situation has changed drastically.