"I grew up in the heart of Marwar, not far from Jodhpur. My father was a merchant and a money lender. As per custom my marriage was solemnised while I was still in my teens, my husband was chosen by my father, and I was sent to my marital home with a large dowry. My in-laws were affluent but conservative and I was confined indoors behind a long ghoonghat, walking on tiptoes and speaking only when spoken to, restricting myself to the kitchen. My husband only visited me at night to claim his conjugal rights. After a year into my marriage when I failed to conceive my in-laws began getting impatient. They tried everything on me, herbs from medicine men, amulets from holy places, none seemed to work. Finally, as my in-laws began to mention getting a second bride for their son in the hope of being blessed with a male heir, my husband took me to Varanasi with the excuse of finding a spiritual solution for my failure to conceive. In the guise of prasad he began introducing me to doses of cannabis, a little at first then increasing to larger quantities. Later he began giving me opium and in a matter of weeks I was addicted, willing to do anything just for my daily fix."

"My husband convinced me to participate in the practice of Niyoga, wherein I would have to submit myself to another man in my blind-folded state, to help me bear a child. I had such visitors each night. I never saw their faces, nor do I remember anything much that happened, but soon after that I began suspecting my husband's motive. Once I eavesdropped on him and realised that he was accepting money from strange men who were paying to use my body to appease their lust. Thereafter I began avoiding the opium and even resisted my husband's attempts to pimp me, for which I was severely thrashed. He refused to give me drugs even when my body craved them and I suffered agony from the drug withdrawal, finally submitting to his command. This practice continued for months and I was still not pregnant. Finally his father sent a messenger summoning us back to Marwar. My husband was worried that I would disclose everything to his family, so he arranged for a saudagar or a broker who bought me on behalf of a brothel in the city famous for it's tawaifs. I was drugged to break my resistance and by the time I gained my senses I was already a novice in a kotha."

"I found out that my husband was a gambling addict; being away from his family he took advantage of the freedom to indulge himself. He won some and lost other bets. Initially he offered my company to pay off his debt and later realised that it was an easy means of making money, where the men who came for me did not have to face the stigma of visiting an actual brothel. I was young and relatively new, so they faced a lesser risk of contracting a disease. With his father commanding us to return,  in a panicked state he paid for an unclaimed woman's funeral giving her my name and carried forth the lie to his family about me having contracted a fatal disease and died, and that he had cremated me on the burning ghats of Varanasi, with an official document substantiating his statement. When I heard this I became numb, I was officially dead to the people I knew in my earlier life. My husband had already introduced me to prostitution. I was offered a choice at the kotha, to be a lowly prostitute and cater to all and sundry or to become an accomplished courtesan after months of rigorous training in the performing arts of reciting poetry, music and dancing, and naturally, in the fine art of lovemaking."

"I took up a new identity in Balquis bai's kotha. My language, my speech, my diet, my faith, everything had to transform for me to fit into the brocaded shoes of Benazir. I had my debut under the patronage of the Nawab himself. I remained the flavour of the season for him until it was time to initiate another novice into the trade. Even as a cast-off of the Nawab the demand for me grew in leaps and bounds. Nazranas were sent for me to perform in the mansions of the rich, where I invariably had to gratify the patron. On other nights the highest bidder got to enjoy me for the night he paid for, and many returned on several occasions, so skilled I had become in the art of seduction. The fact that men were prepared to pay handsomely for the gift of fake love of a prostitute became the reason for my existence as Benazir, besides, barren women make great prostitutes as there is no fear of pregnancy. I washed in scented baths, dressed in the finest silk and muslin, was laden with jewels from head to toe and fed the richest meats. I had maids to do my bidding and fancy carriages to travel in. I was showered with lavish gifts. I had everything materially, having traded it for my sanctity."

"I chose to forget my past and never thought of the future. And then one day your brother arrived and brought me to this place. This is the story of the Krishna worshipping Meera's metamorphosis to Benazir, the peerless tawaif of Balquis bai's kotha, all thanks to the man who is coming forth to wed your Sanyukta. After me he took another wife and had her abducted, or rather sold her off surreptitiously just like me, without arousing anyone's suspicion. I would not let him anywhere close to the girl who you care for." She stopped speaking, feeling drained. For a minute both Parth and Randhir were rendered speechless, unsure of how to react after she had narrated to them the story of her hapless life. Finally Parth, the older brother, took the initiative of responding to her. "Baisa, no matter what we choose to say to you, words will not be a salve worthy enough to alleviate the wrongs done unto you. Please offer me the opportunity to accept your responsibility. This mansion belongs to a vassal who owes us his allegiance. You will be protected and cared for here, all your needs will be catered to. You must forget your life of submission and start once again." Randhir continued from where Parth had stopped. "Because of you an innocent girl will be saved from a dreadful fate. I cannot begin to express my gratitude to you. I must take your leave now Baisa, I have to return in time to make arrangements to avert the disaster that is looming large over my Sanyukta." In about an hour Randhir bid farewell to his brother and began his return journey toward where his beloved was waiting for him.