“I do not know if the photographs surrounding Priya’s death will serve as a wakeup call to doctors, but I know these stories must be heard by many others,” says 21-year-old A. Rasiya Banu from Vyasarpadi.
One year since the death of R. Priya, a teenage football player from Vyasarpadi who died of multi-organ failure, Rasiya tracks the youngster’s last journey to the cremation ground, presents glimpses of the crowd that turned up for the funeral and her death anniversary — through photographs.
“I do not know Priya personally but the cries of her family still ring in my ears,” says the BA (Economics) graduate and a part-time teacher . She is among the eight who will be showcasing Vyasarpadi in a photo exhibition titled ‘Our Streets Our Stories: Life in North Chennai’. S. Nandhini, E. Imman, D. Vigneshwari, S. Vinodhini, S. Naveen, P. Thirisha and N. Sakthivel are the others.
The three-day event scheduled to be held from December 8 is being organised by Vyasai Thozhargal, Palani Studio, Chennai Climate Action Group (CCAG) and PARI to showcase the powerful narratives and photography skills of these young residents in the age group of 15 to 28 years.
Vigneshwari’s mother works with a small unit that manufacturers a component for switch boxes. She spotlights the everyday toils of her mother and other women.
Photographs taken by eight students will be on display at the exhibition
A few others chose sports as a theme, focussing on football, carom and kabaddi as children from the neighbourhood have excelled in them. The lives of waste collectors, who make a living by visiting Kuppai Medu near Kodinguyur, have also been captured through the lens.
The photo exhibition has two main objectives: one, change the general perception about this neighbourhood in the wider world; and two, raise funds to meet the educational needs of first-generation college-goers in Vyasarpadi.
Inspired by a photo exhibition titled ‘North Chennai Reframed’ in 2022, members of Vyasai Thozhargal (a community of volunteers from Vyasarpadi who run a free tuition centre, Dr. Ambedkar Pagutharivu Paadasalai) approached photojournalist M. Palani Kumar.
“Our biggest grouse is the discrimination we face when we say we are from Vyasarpadi. We wanted those prejudices about North Chennai and its people to be removed and approached Palani sir to conduct a photography workshop for youngsters from the locality,” says 29-year-old G. Sarath Kumar, one of the core team members of Vyasai Thozhargal.
The year-long workshop not only trained the participants on how to wield the camera, but also offered them a skill training programme that would make them economically independent.
Although the tuition centre has progressed from conducting classes on the terrace of a house to an independent space of its own, it has been up against many challenges. In October 2023, The Hindu wrote about the eviction notice that this centre received from the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board.
“The exhibition will serve as a platform to showcase the many skills young residents have,” says Sarath Kumar, adding that a majority of the participants of the workshop are from the centre.
The exhibition will take place from December 8 to 10 at Vyasarpadi. For updates about it, follow the Instagram page of Palani Kumar @chempkumar
Photojournalist M. Palani Kumar on empowering youngsters from North Chennai
Photographer M. Palani Kumar shot into limelight as cinematographer of Kakkoos, a documentary film showcasing the difficult lives of manual scavengers.
He was considerably troubled by the issue of manual scavenging and he continues to work with the community. “I train a bunch of youngsters from the manual scavenging community in Madurai on how to handle the camera,” says Palani, adding that he does not give up on an issue till he sees some change.
Currently working for People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), Palani says he tracks social issues and his involvement with people that are oppressed and discriminated against has only got stronger.
Last year, through an exhibition titled “Reframed” he got six students to tell stories of work, play, joy and mourning in North Chennai.
“I do not measure success by the number of photographs sold at the exhibition but I am looking at real change in the lives of my students,” he says.
One of his students stopped her marriage to pursue higher education. “She also supplements the family income through photography,” says Palani. At least two students are pursuing journalism in private colleges.
“Whether it is through photos or the written word, they are a powerful medium to tell a story and I want more people from the Dalit community to enter the profession,” says Palani, a resident of Madipakkam.
In “Our Streets Our Stories”, the focus is largely on Vyasarpadi. “This is a photography exhibition of protest as the community deserves better treatment,” he says.
Over the last one year, the youngsters were trained using a DSLR camera. “I have 30 of them with me, some are mine and many others borrowed from friends and well-wishers,” says Palani, adding “I am next working on creating a group of women wedding photographers.”
Published - November 26, 2023 01:57 pm IST
