Deconstruction/Reconstruction Garhi site
In the middle of 2011,it was announced by the Garhi office, that the studios especially the painting, printmaking and other community studios are going to be shut down for renovation work.
Everyone agrees that renovation and reconstruction of the worn out studios is a must, but the thought of leaving the space where they were carrying on their creative work puts many in a quandary. By August, most of the artists pack up their paraphernalia and vacate. Keys are handed over to the construction company. I look at the empty studios and recollect the happy days spent with my friends discussing the various art happenings or mulling over a recent art work or simply sharing a joke.
My studios are located in another part of the complex and therefore spared for some time. I dread going to the place to see the other empty studios and not seeing my regular friends. Or dread the prospect of falling debris and brick and mortar and hasten to shield my paintings.
Very soon, loads of bricks, cement, sand and other building items arrive and are offloaded. The construction workers very soon find a corner of the artist’s village to erect their tents and build their dwellings as they would live in the area for some months. Although I have seen construction going on here and there and walked past them, this was the first time that I am going to be very close to the site.
The life of these labourers intrigues me; decide to follow their lifestyle and explore.
I stand near the railing of the staircase and observe their activities. Thank the god for giving me this opportunity to learn about my fellow beings.
Winter was fast approaching, and dusk was setting early. One evening, as I locked up my studio and walked down the corridor and came near the staircase, I was treated to a wonderful sight. The workers had pitched up three or four tents, each housing one family I suppose, and they had also made arrangements to procure electric connection from the main switch board and each house had a light on in front of the door. They had made a mud oven sort of stove to cook their food. The lights were on, the stoves were lit, someone was rolling the chapattis and some were stirring the dal or some curry. It was a wonderful sight to see life come alive for these people after a hard day’s labour. One thing I found and particularly noticed were that both men and women joined together in preparing the meals just as they had shared the construction work.
As days pass, I get chances to observe the workers and their families closely. One little boy Kamalesh becomes my friend. He roamed here and there the whole day. But when evening approached, he would get the preliminary jobs done such as fetching water for cooking, washing and cutting the vegetables, basically potatoes, and light up the gas stove for his mother. His mother when arrived would take over from there.
After their work, these people always washed and cleaned themselves and changed into clean saris and pants. Only the children wore ragged cloths. I was also astounded to see that most of them owned mobile phones and they all had music systems on which they listened to popular Hindi music.
As months passed ,they found different ways to make their houses strong and possibly to ward off the harsh winter. Being in an artists’ colony, they had used thrown away canvases as doors for their houses. Some used wooden planks from the boxes kept nearby to cover the front side of their houses. I could see some one’s painting on the roof while someone else’s was providing privacy. This way, they had become one with us artists.
Some of the children became my acquaintances as I chatted with them and they posed for myphotos.I was eager to know about their livesI.It was sad they were not getting education. I wanted them to be natural, but when they saw me with the camera, they would stand and pose.
After another month or so, work began in the vacant space near my studio. I always met a girl and a boy with their 10 months old baby. Mamani Bai,19 years and Rajkumar ,20 years from Jhansi.The child was put to rest on a soft mattress on the floor while their parents worked. In between, the mother came to feed her baby. I found the child to be healthy and always with a smile. Some small talk with them revealed that they belonged to an agricultural family and due to lack of work, they have undertaken labour work in cities.009,010
My little friends. Most of the itme, they were looking for sweets and toffees from us!
