M. Palani Kumar

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Working
class people treasure even worn-out sandals. The sandals of cargo loaders bear
dents and concave inner soles, while woodcutters&#39; chappals are riddled with
thorns. My own slippers I&#39;ve often patched up with safety pins to keep them
intact. 

Throughout
my travels across India, I&#39;ve consistently captured images of footwear, and I
have begun seeking these narratives in my photographs. Through the tales of
such footwear, my own journey also unfolds.

During
a recent work trip to Jajpur, Odisha, I had the chance to visit schools in
Barabanki and Puranamantira villages. When we would arrive, I was always
intrigued by the meticulously arranged footwear, placed outside the room where
people from Adivasi communities had gathered.

Initially, I did not pay much attention but after
three days into the journey I began to notice the worn-out sandals, some even
with holes in them.

My
own relationship with footwear is etched in my memory.  Back in my village, everyone purchased
V-strap slippers. When I was around 12 years old, in Madurai, these cost only
about 20 rupees, yet our families toiled hard to afford them as footwear held a
vital role in our lives.

Whenever
a new sandal model hit the market, one of the boys from our village would
acquire it, and the rest of us would borrow it from him, wearing them on
festivals, special occasions or trips out of town.

After
my trip to Jajpur I have become more observant of footwear around me. Certain
pairs of sandals have become associated with incidents from my past. I recall
instances when my classmates and I were reprimanded by our physical education
teacher for not wearing shoes.

Footwear
even influenced my photography, marking an important change. Oppressed
communities were denied access to footwear for a long time. Reflecting on this
fueled my re-evaluation of its significance. The thought seeded my work,
encouraging my goal of representing the struggle of working-class people and
their footwear that continues to toil day and night.

To walk a mile

محنت کی کہانی چپلوں کی زبانی

మైళ్ళ దూరాల నడకలో...

சற்று தூரம் நடக்க

ਮਿਹਨਤਕਸ਼ਾਂ ਦੇ ਸੰਘਰਸ਼ ਦੀ ਕਹਾਣੀ ਕਹਿੰਦੀਆਂ ਚੱਪਲਾਂ

पायपीट

ദൂരങ്ങൾ താണ്ടാൻ

ದೂರ ದಾರಿಯ ನಡೆಯಲು

चप्पलों में छिपी मेहनत की कहानी

એક દડમજલ

पनही बतावय मिहनत के कहिनी

घिसल चप्पल मिहनत के निसानी बा

কতটা পথ পেরোলে তবে…

ক্ষয় যোৱা ছেন্দেলৰ আঁৰৰ কাহিনীবোৰ

ଚାଲିବାକୁ ଗୋଟିଏ ମାଇଲ୍‌

Jajpur

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To walk a mile

PARI photographer and journalist M. Palani Kumar writes on the footwear he’s encountered in his life and work, and the stories they tell of the people wearing them

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