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

Saturday, September 22, 2007

What they say

This is the core of articulate spaces – their words and their messages. These words determine how people relate to the vartaphalaks: whether they identify with those messages or feel offended by them, whether they laugh at them or simply derive news about local happenings around them.

The sheer variety of messages reveals the depth of their content. For instance, vartaphalaks which incite anti-minority sentiments clearly represent a specific socio-political context. Critiques of the establishment testify to a basic democratic spirit that our public spaces imbibe…


This vartaphalak in Laxminagar drips sarcasm! It has been written on the occassion of Makar Sankranti, a festival when people exchange sweets made out of sesame and greet each other saying Tilgul ghya ani god bola. Meaning that please accept the sesame sweet and talk sweetly.

The educated cry for jobs
Farmers commit suicide
Shop keepers increase the rates
And government ministers roam unaffected
Tilgul ghya ani god god bola

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