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

Amongst all the pre-conceived notions that I started this study with, my assumptions about the writers of these boards proved to be the most inaccurate. The profile ‘elderly, men, politically-inclined’ that I had imagined in my mind for the writers couldn’t have been more incorrect. As I interacted with the writers behind the vartaphalaks, got to know their backgrounds and motivations, I realized that the boards are as much expressions of personal convictions and individual creativity as much they are reflections of a social reality.

Though thoroughly inadequate, I try to present briefly the worlds and thoughts of some of these personalities in this section.
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