On that narrow lane off '90 Feet
Road' in Dharavi, a truck can block all view ahead. Yet, in such a place, a
curious crowd had gathered under fluorescent yellow-orange shamiana that Saturday evening. There
were local women and children dressed in their shiny best. There were those
from lands beyond Dharavi in their ethnic kurtas, cool tees and what not. Passersby wondered what all the
commotion was about. And as fleeting glances deepened into interest and the
crowd spilled into the street, the organizers knew that this was going to be one
exhilarating evening.
By the time, I reached there, a water bottle had been got into the system.. (that's what excitement did to us, to me) for I was going to see the 'Slumdog Millionaire' fame Dharavi.. (that's how non-mumbaikars knows the place). As this post is about 'the' evening, so let me hold my thoughts on whether Danny Boyle did any good OR just-glorified-the-slum in a bad way.
So, the assembled had gathered to
attend an exhibition by SNEHA on health. They were calling the exhibition Ghar Pe (At Home).. it was an installation of art pieces made
by the local participants (mostly kids). I was in awe, for every piece evoked a particular aspect of health and was
the culmination of almost an year’s efforts in creativity, conversations and
skill acquirement. eg: mosquitoes embroidered on windows, photographs spread on
utensils and dreams moulded into ceramic slippers, colored chits on turquoise wall with kids' name and their dreams.. they were just some of the
examples of household items that were afflicted by a healthy dose of messages via this form of art, this form what I was experiencing for first time. Day of many firsts, i say!!
The inaugural was preceded by a frenzy of photos taken by and of
the participants of Dekha Andekha.
The hall that is part of Ganesh Vidya Mandir was painted a
turquoise green and saw almost two hundred and fifty visitors that evening. Among those who burst with excitement into the exhibition was Akku Behn, a
middle aged sweeper from the neighbourhood. For Akku Behn, who had never been
to an art exhibition before, the art pieces made by our participants led her to
say that it is great that women are doing something different. And then in the crowd,
was the little boy who wanted a fabric globe off a dream slipper to play with.
And there was the sound of many an air kiss blown into the noisy room. :-)
Kids who had just been felicitated were exuberant when
they saw visitors were paying *close* attention to their art pieces. This was yet
another moment when a craftswoman metamorphoses into an artist and they recount
a terrific time explaining their art to curious visitors. Zarina from the
photography group feels that this exhibition is sure to bring about change in
the neighbourhood.
As the street lights came out, the crowd ventured
outdoors. But I could see that everyone who had come there that evening, returned with a bit of turquoise.. including me. :-)
