Hoon jano, hoon khabar?’ (‘How do I know what it is?’ in the local Waaghri dialect)

In the villages of Bori, Kharveda and Semalia in Banswara district of Rajasthan, while interacting with the women, I noticed that most of them sit on the ground, either on a mat or without one. The men and elders always sit up – on chairs, on cots – though in the presence of men, elderly women sit on the ground, even if they are ailing. This is true for children too – boys sit up, the girls don’t.

Most of the people of Kharveda and Semalia are farmers. They were traditionally weavers, but it’s been a few generation since they stopped weaving. In Bori, some of the women are also dairy farmers.

When asked, they all said it was the custom for women to sit on the ground. Once married, the daughter of the family may sit up when she visits her parents’ home, but the daughter-in-law must sit on the floor.

The women sit on the floor not only when they are in the same space as men and village elders, but also when visitors like me are around – that is, whoever they perceive as more powerful or privileged than themselves in any way.

We gradually began discussing this in a self-help group. They were cautious about not offending their elders and in-laws. Some wanted the practice to change, some wanted it to remain.

Over time, they all agreed to be photographed sitting on a chair, a cot or a raised platform. They would often insist that I take the photographs indoors, or in their backyards, or with their sons on their lap.

A few were lighthearted about this, for many it took a lot of preparation to allow themselves this momentary symbolic elevation.

PHOTO • Nilanjana Nandy

Left : Bhuri Bunkar, Kharveda village; Right : Ratan Patidar, Bori village

PHOTO • Nilanjana Nandy

Left : Ramila Patidar, Bori village; Right : Lakshmi Bunkar, Kharveda village

PHOTO • Nilanjana Nandy

Left: Kachri Yadav, Semalia village; Right : Vimala Patidar, Bori village

PHOTO • Nilanjana Nandy

Left : Babli Devi, Kharveda village; Right: Sangeeta Bunkar, Kharveda village

PHOTO • Nilanjana Nandy

Left : Lakshmi Bunkar, Kharveda village; Right : Lakshmi Bunkar, Semalia village

PHOTO • Nilanjana Nandy

Left : Anita Yadav, Semalia village; Right : Mani Bunkar, Kharveda village

Nilanjana Nandy

ନୀଳାଞ୍ଜନା ନନ୍ଦି ଜଣେ ଦିଲ୍ଲୀଭିତ୍ତିକ ଭିଜୁଆଲ ଆର୍ଟିଷ୍ଟ ଏବଂ ଶିକ୍ଷାବିତ୍‌ । ସେ ଅନେକ କଳା ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନୀରେ ଭାଗ ନେଇଛନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଅନ୍ୟଗୁଡ଼ିକ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଫ୍ରାନ୍ସର ପୋଣ୍ଟ-ଆଭେନ୍‌ ସ୍କୁଲ ଅଫ୍‌ ଆର୍ଟରୁ ଏକ ସ୍କଲାରସିପ୍‌ ପାଇଛନ୍ତି । ବରୋଦାର ମହାରାଜା ସୟାଜିରାଓ ବିଶ୍ୱବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟର ଫ୍ୟାକଲ୍‌ଟି ଅଫ୍‌ ଫାଇନ୍‌ ଆର୍ଟସ୍‌ରୁ ସେ ଚିତ୍ରକଳାରେ ସ୍ନାତକୋତ୍ତର ଶିକ୍ଷା ଲାଭ କରିଛନ୍ତି । ଏଠାରେ ଦର୍ଶାଯାଇଥିବା ଫଟୋଗୁଡ଼ିକ ରାଜସ୍ଥାନରେ ‘ଇକ୍ୱିଲିବିରିୟମ’ ଭାବେ ପରିଚିତ ଆର୍ଟିଷ୍ଟ ଇନ୍‌ ରେସିଡେନ୍ସି କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମରେ ଉଠାଯାଇଥିଲା ।

ଏହାଙ୍କ ଲିଖିତ ଅନ୍ୟ ବିଷୟଗୁଡିକ Nilanjana Nandy
Text Editor : Sharmila Joshi

ଶର୍ମିଳା ଯୋଶୀ ପିପୁଲ୍ସ ଆର୍କାଇଭ୍‌ ଅଫ୍‌ ରୁରାଲ ଇଣ୍ଡିଆର ପୂର୍ବତନ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟନିର୍ବାହୀ ସମ୍ପାଦିକା ଏବଂ ଜଣେ ଲେଖିକା ଓ ସାମୟିକ ଶିକ୍ଷୟିତ୍ରୀ

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