Varanasi, the spiritual heart of India, is famous worldwide for its ghats, temples, and the eternal flow of the Ganges. Millions visit every year seeking moksha, peace, and divine blessings. Yet, beneath this holy facade, a parallel underground world exists that few tourists or pilgrims ever talk about openly – the Varanasi sex service industry. This shadowy trade operates discreetly in the narrow lanes of this ancient city, blending tradition, poverty, and modern demand.
How the Varanasi Sex Service Network Operates
The Varanasi sex service is not advertised on signboards or mainstream apps like in bigger cities. Instead, it functions through word-of-mouth, local agents, auto-rickshaw drivers, small guest house owners, and even some boatmen at the ghats. Dashashwamedh Ghat and Assi Ghat areas, despite being crowded with devotees, have back alleys where deals are quietly made after sunset.
Many workers in the Varanasi sex service come from nearby villages in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Economic distress, widowhood, or family pressure pushes women (and sometimes transgender individuals) into this trade. Rates vary drastically – from ₹500–₹1,500 for quick encounters in cheap lodges to ₹5,000–₹15,000 for full-night services with younger or more "presentable" workers delivered to mid-range hotels.
The Role of Dalal (Agents) in Varanasi Sex Service
No discussion about Varanasi sex service is complete without mentioning the dalals – the middlemen who control the supply chain. These agents maintain contacts with women in red-light-like pockets in areas such as Sigra, Luxa, Chetganj, and parts of Kabir Chaura. They use WhatsApp groups, coded language, and fake profiles on lesser-known escort websites to connect clients.
During Kumbh season or major festivals like Dev Deepawali, demand for Varanasi sex service spikes dramatically because of the influx of male tourists and pilgrims traveling alone. Agents double their rates and bring in additional women from Allahabad (Prayagraj), Gorakhpur, and even Kolkata.
Online Presence of Varanasi Sex Services
In the last five years, the Varanasi sex service has slowly moved online. Websites with names like "Banaras Call Girls," "Kashi Escorts," or "Varanasi VIP Models" appear on Google with local phone numbers. Many use photos stolen from social media or Russian/Ukrainian websites. Locanto, Skokka, and obscure escort directories remain active despite periodic crackdowns.
WhatsApp and Telegram channels titled "Varanasi Real Fun" or "Kashi Night Service" circulate daily with rates, locations, and blurred photos. Some even offer "sadhu baba-style spiritual massage with happy ending" as a marketing gimmick targeting foreign tourists looking for something "exotic."
The Dark Side: Trafficking and Police Raids
While some women enter the Varanasi sex service willingly due to financial desperation, trafficking remains a serious issue. Minor girls from Nepal, West Bengal, and Jharkhand are sometimes brought under false promises of jobs in beauty parlors or dance bars. Anti-trafficking NGOs like Guria and Shakti Vahini have rescued dozens from brothels disguised as massage parlors in the Bengali Tola and Dalmandi areas.
Police raids do happen, especially before major religious events, but corruption ensures the trade quickly resurfaces under new names and locations.
Health and Safety Concerns
STD rates, especially HIV, remain a concern in the unregulated Varanasi sex service scene. Condom usage is inconsistent, particularly with clients who pay extra for "without protection." Some workers rely on local quacks instead of proper medical care, worsening the situation.
Why Varanasi Will Always Have This Hidden Trade
As long as extreme poverty exists alongside massive male tourism and a culture that stigmatizes open discussion about sex, the Varanasi sex service will continue to thrive in the shadows. The same city where bodies are burnt to achieve liberation ironically becomes a place where desperate women sell their bodies to survive.
The holy and the profane have co-existed in Kashi for centuries. The bells of Kashi Vishwanath temple and the moans from a cheap lodge just 500 meters away are two sides of the same ancient city that refuses to be either fully sacred or fully sinful.
(Note: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. Engaging in or promoting illegal prostitution is punishable under Indian law. Always prioritize consent, safety, and legality.)
