Vada Chennai through the lens of its young residents

CHENNAI: Vyasai Thozhargal, established a decade ago, has a mission at hand: serve the residents of Vyasarpadi and its neighbourhoods and challenge the stereotypical negative narrative about north Chennai.

To start with, the group is focussing on students as it believes education promotes equality in society. “We initiated an evening tuition centre called Dr. Ambedkar Pagutharivu Padasalai to emphasise the importance of education for children. Currently, 150 students are enrolled there,” says Prem Kumar, a member of the social group.

The group has also made necessary arrangements to play kabaddi and give silambam training to those interested. The group follows the ideology of BR Ambedkar. Apart from these, Vysasi Thozhargal has committed itself to helping people and is providing a helping hand to the needy during the pandemic.

Every year, the group organises informative events for the benefit of the residents of north Chennai. This year, they have introduced a photo exhibition concept titled ‘Our Streets Our Stories’, aiming to represent the lives of the people living there.

“North Chennai is often depicted in a negative light, being perceived as a hub of criminal activities where all sorts of offences occur. To challenge that stereotype and reveal the reality of how beautiful the region is, we decided to conduct an exhibition showcasing the lives of the hardworking community here,” says Prem Kumar.

He also adds that individuals of all age groups work in north Chennai to earn their living without engaging in any offensive activities.

For this photo exhibition, eight students from north Chennai were selected for a year-long workshop and mentored by Palani Kumar. His works focus on lending a voice and telling stories of people from Dalit and marginal communities. He has conducted workshops in places like Madurai as well.

“If people from a particular community tell the story, the depth and emotions attached to that is even deeper. The way they narrate their stories itself is a political statement,” he says.

During this one-year workshop, the students tried documenting each and every element connected with their lives like daily routine, culture, celebrations and protests happening in the neighbourhood. He started a studio called Palani Studio to identify and provide training for youngsters who are interested in photography.

“This is more than a workshop. We train students who will be honest in their work and can be the voice of the unnoticed. In short, we are guiding the youngsters to build their careers,” remarks the photographer. “Photography is often viewed as an expensive tool. I work towards taking this to people from the minority communities,” he adds.

When asked about the transition in the works of the students, Palani observes, “Compared to the initial days, now they know how to use photography as a tool to capture and display their views and untold stories to the world.”

Among the students, Vinodhini felt excited when she was asked to document their livelihood. “Instead of focusing on the aesthetics, we are trained to capture the reality. Through my photographs, I want people to see the other side of north Chennai. I also want to document the lives of single parents in our neighbourhood,” says the 19-year-old.

— Jointly organised by the Vyasai Thozhargal, Palani Studio, Chennai Climate Action Group and People’s Archive of Rural India, the exhibition will happen at Dr Ambedkar Pagutharivu Padasalai from December 8 to 10.