about vartaphalaks...

the ubiquitous vartaphalaks which dot the older parts of pune city in hundreds, represent a fascinating case of public spaces which become sites of articulation of different kinds of agendas and identities, in an urban context. vartaphalaks generally serve as visual markers of the collective that exists in the precincts of that notice board. this could be local branches of political parties, youth collectives, residential collectives, auto rickshaw drivers’ unions and so on. the various symbols and imagery that is inscribed in and around these spaces and the content and the rhetoric of the matter written on vartaphalaks make for a public space extremely rich in visual content.

spaces around vartaphalak

spaces around vartaphalak
kumthekar road, sadashiv peth
this is a typical space as defined by a vartaphalak. this message was written a day after the civic election results were declared, expounding on the topic of 'kartavya': It is but natural to be enthused by victory and be disappointed by defeat. However our tradition tells us that more important than victory or defeat is our duty

spaces around vartaphalaks

spaces around vartaphalaks
tiranga young circle vartaphalak, ghorpade peth

Sunday, September 16, 2007

People behind the words- Dattatray Rahalkar



Dattatray Rahalkar. 67, retired advocate. A VHP activist, who owns a Ram Mandir in Sadashiv Peth. Though he doesn’t write on the vartaphalak anymore, he is proud of his messages written in the aftermath of the demolition of Babri Masjid, which, he claims, attracted people from all parts of the city. According to him, to be effective, a vartaphalak has to be aggressive and strong on rhetoric. It should reflect social, political and vaicharik (intellectual) issues, rather than merely reporting local community matters.

He has written on the vartaphalak after a long time in this photograph. It strongly opposes the move to nationalize Hindu temples. Though Christian and Muslim organizations get huge donations from foreign funds, he contends that the Government does not dare touch their organizations. This money is also used to spread hatred against the Hindus, according to him. He ends with a quote by Veer Savarkar, which equates leaving one’s religion to leaving one’s motherland.

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