WUNRN
Women’s Feature Service
INDIA – PHOTOGRAPHER PASCAL MANNAERTS EXHIBIT “WOMEN FATE
BREAKERS” – PHOTOS CAPTURE THE STRENTH OF POOR, SUFFERING, LOW CASTE WOMEN
By Elsa Sherin Mathews
Delhi (Women’s Feature Service) - He has spent several
days with the “warm and friendly widows of Varanasi” at an ashram in the holy
city to get a closer look at their life and struggles; along with his “fearless
friend Manju” he has visited the red light areas near the Varanasi railway
station where he watched her “give lessons to the children of sex workers even
as pimps and goons threatened her”; in Alwar, he was “humbled by the welcome”
given by the so-called low-caste families as he spent time with them in their
small huts; and he can never forget the afternoon when “I went with my two
friends, Abheena and Amitava, a hijra (eunuch) and a transgender, to the beauty
parlour where we talked, joked and took lots of pictures”…. Over the last
decade or so, Belgian photographer Pascal Mannaerts has had amazing adventures
during his trips to India and met many remarkable, strong women whose
incredible spirit and chutzpah he has caught on camera.
The self-taught lensman showcases several memorable
images and experiences through his latest exhibition, ‘Fate Breakers’, which is
travelling to different cities across the country, including Chandigarh, Pune,
Panjim, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram. “Like elsewhere in the world, in
India, too, there are really tough situations that seem almost impossible to
deal with. I’m amazed by the strength that the local women show as they make
all efforts to overcome those difficulties,” remarks Mannaerts, whose snapshots
of Indian women are part of a larger collection of pictures of women from
various countries.
One of the six
groups of women that the exhibition features is the ‘untouchable’ community
from Alwar and Tonk in Rajasthan, who have found their way out of manual
scavenging with the help of an NGO.
“‘Fate breakers’ portrays several stories of Indian
women whom I had an opportunity to meet and spend time with. They are fighting
against prejudice and determinism, be it from birth, from life's perils, from
intolerance or disrespect. These women have managed to beat the odds to make a
difference and empower themselves, for their sake and for others. They
represent the hope that things can get better,” he elaborates. The exhibition
features six groups of women: the ‘untouchable’ community in Alwar and Tonk in
Rajasthan, who have found their way out of manual scavenging with the support
of Sulabh International; the physically disabled youngsters from Divyajyoti
Centre in Varanasi that provides them with valuable vocational training; the women
rescued by Guria, a Varanasi-based non-profit that fights prostitution; the
widows of Vrindavan; acid attack survivors associated with the Stop Acid
Attacks campaign; and the proud members of the transgender community.
Pascal Mannaerts spent several days with the
“warm and friendly widows of Vrindavan” at Meera Sahbaghini Ashram in Vrindavan
to get a closer look at their life and struggles.
Despite being a foreigner, Mannaerts did not face any
problem in convincing women to pose for him. “People do ask me if, being a male
photographer and a foreigner, it was difficult for me to make them feel
comfortable in my presence. But quite honestly, it wasn’t a problem. I always
say that photography is about the human being and about being human. If you are
respectful, if your approach is honest and if you are aware of what is
acceptable behaviour in the local culture then it is generally easy going,” he
says.
Indeed, the rapport he developed with the women in his
pictures was evident during a special interaction that he had organised with
them in the Capital recently. The widows from Vrindavan and the women from Tonk
and Alwar were especially happy to meet him and relive their memories. Amidst
the impromptu selfie session, one of them loudly declared, “When you were
hanging around with us I could never have imagined that we would be on such
huge posters on walls in Delhi. All this from the small camera you had in your
hands at the time! This is great!”
Mannaerts recalls some interesting moments from his
shoot at Meera Sahbaghini Ashram in Vrindavan, “After I had spent a few days
going around town, I landed up one morning in front of this ashram. The women
welcomed me with huge smiles and I felt they were happy to see me. Some of the
older ones were initially hesitant to pose in front of the camera and so I told
them that they didn’t have to get photographed. However, after a while, as the
ice melted, it was the others who convinced them to get their picture taken.
Once they were willing, there was no stopping them.”
In Rajasthan, Mannaerts was truly moved by the
heartfelt reception he got from the women who were once silently bearing the
ignominy of being manual scavengers. “They heartily welcomed me into their
small homes; it was an incredible feeling. And I felt the same way when I was
with Manju and Sheela-ji, two women who not only take care of children with
disabilities but also help out sex workers in Varanasi. Their dedication to
their work blew me away. For instance, Manju, who reaches out to sex workers,
has often been threatened with dire consequences if she continues but that in
no way deters her from her mission. I went with her into the red light district
near the railway station where she gives lessons to sex worker’s children. She
simply told me to be alert and discreet with my camera. Despite the imminent
dangers, there she was, boldly doing what she thought was right. That’s her
everyday life,” he says.
The time he spent with his extraordinary friends,
Abheena and Amitava, a hijra (eunuch) and a transgender, was unforgettable and
fun. He shares, “I had a great time when I went with Abheena and Amitava to the
beauty parlour. We spent the whole afternoon, talking joking and taking
pictures. They had so much positive energy and enthusiasm despite the obvious
discrimination they encounter virtually on a daily basis. Once the beauty
treatment was done I accompanied Abheena to the nearby market as she wanted to buy
new pair of high heels. As I walked beside her on the busy street, I was amazed
by her pride, confidence and charisma.”
Whereas Mannaerts has been documenting people and
social issues for many years now, ‘Fate Breakers’ is a project that is
particularly close to his heart. “This is not the first time I have trained my
lens on social concerns. But being in India has been immensely rewarding. I
consider myself blessed to have met all these brilliant women who found me
worthy of sharing their life with me. Honestly, it’s an experience of a
lifetime,” he signs off.