It was a pleasant evening. The drizzling made it perfect. Kids in my apartment complex were playing cricket. Perfect photography composition, i thought. I stepped out of my home to click some moments. A 6-year old girl, my neighbor and her friends came and asked me if i could click their pictures. I was more than glad for having found enthusiastic subjects. So, i started clicking them playing, clicking them running around etc.
After some time, i noticed a small boy standing behind me mused. I stopped clicking and initiated a conversation with him. When i asked if he would like to be clicked, he instantly said a yes with a beaming face. I asked him to come and stand in front of the camera. As he came, the other kids pushed him away and the 6-year old girl, came and put her hand in front of the camera, blocking the lens. The girl insisted that i should not click the boy. When i asked why, she said, "akka, veedu, chaakali vadu, pichi battalu vesukuntadu... vedni photo teeyodhu" ( it means, this boy belongs to dhobi community and he wears rags, so you shouldn't click his photo)
I was startled by her words and immediately chided her. She was still adamant and insisted that no one clicks the boy's photos along with the other kids like them. when i asked her, who told her, she said she knew it by herself. When i asked her how, she responded that she learnt it from the television and movies. In the television and movies, people like servant maids and dhobis who work for us, are always treated indifferently. I told her that its not the right way to treat people and one shouldn't be judged based on what he or she wears. Anger was evident on the girl's face and she said she doesn't like to be told like this. She said, because i clicked his photo, she would now not talk to me as well. So, she said a loud "Kattif" and left from that place.
I did not know how to react, so quietly continued clicking the pictures of the boy.
I do not know if she told it in ignorance or casually, but i know for sure that with 6-year olds like her, who will be tomorrow's india, it is very difficult to dream of a caste and class free society.
After some time, i noticed a small boy standing behind me mused. I stopped clicking and initiated a conversation with him. When i asked if he would like to be clicked, he instantly said a yes with a beaming face. I asked him to come and stand in front of the camera. As he came, the other kids pushed him away and the 6-year old girl, came and put her hand in front of the camera, blocking the lens. The girl insisted that i should not click the boy. When i asked why, she said, "akka, veedu, chaakali vadu, pichi battalu vesukuntadu... vedni photo teeyodhu" ( it means, this boy belongs to dhobi community and he wears rags, so you shouldn't click his photo)
I was startled by her words and immediately chided her. She was still adamant and insisted that no one clicks the boy's photos along with the other kids like them. when i asked her, who told her, she said she knew it by herself. When i asked her how, she responded that she learnt it from the television and movies. In the television and movies, people like servant maids and dhobis who work for us, are always treated indifferently. I told her that its not the right way to treat people and one shouldn't be judged based on what he or she wears. Anger was evident on the girl's face and she said she doesn't like to be told like this. She said, because i clicked his photo, she would now not talk to me as well. So, she said a loud "Kattif" and left from that place.
I did not know how to react, so quietly continued clicking the pictures of the boy.
I do not know if she told it in ignorance or casually, but i know for sure that with 6-year olds like her, who will be tomorrow's india, it is very difficult to dream of a caste and class free society.
3 comments:
Hi Gautami, Nice article, you see these kind of statements from our neighbors, our parents, kids, everyone. it is actually flowing in the blood of every typical Indian. Community system in India is very strong so that after 500 years also we'll have similar statements from our people, may be in a different or smarter way. I sometimes feel our kids will forget India, but they don't (indeed can't) avoid these f***ing systems in India.
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