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

Some vartaphalaks stay away from overtly ‘political’ issues. They choose to expound on moral-ethical and spiritual matters through their daily suvichaar (thought for the day). One can uncover an entire set of social values, moral norms that we as a society subscribe to, through these one-line messages.


As the suvichaar on this vartaphalak of Sai Seva Pratishthaan in Guruwar Peth says, 'If a society loses its values, then it will lose everything'.
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