Making a difference: Third eye on the marginalised

He has spent several days with the ‘warm and friendly widows of Varanasi’ at an ashram in the holy city to get a closer look at their life and struggles; along with his ‘fearless friend Manju’ he has visited the red light areas near the Varanasi railway station where he watched her ‘give lessons to the children of sex workers even as pimps and goons threatened her’; in Alwar, he was ‘humbled by the welcome’ given by the so-called low-caste families as he spent time with them in their small huts; and he can never forget the afternoon when “I went with my two friends, Abheena and Amitava, a hijra (eunuch) and a transgender, to the beauty parlour where we talked, joked and took lots of pictures”…. Over the last decade or so, the self-taught Belgian photographer Pascal Mannaerts has had amazing adventures during his trips to India and met many remarkable, strong women whose incredible spirit and chutzpah he has caught on camera.

He showcases the memorable images and experiences through his latest exhibition, ‘Fate Breakers’, which is travelling to different cities across the country, including Chandigarh, Pune, Panjim, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram. ‘Fate breakers’ portrays several stories of Indian women whom I had an opportunity to meet and spend time with. They are fighting against prejudice and determinism, be it from birth, from life's perils, from intolerance or disrespect towards the other. These women have managed to beat the odds to make a difference and empower themselves, for their sake and for others. They represent the hope that things can get better,” he elaborates. The exhibition features six groups of women: the ‘untouchable’ community in Alwar and Tonk in Rajasthan, who have found their way out of manual scavenging with the support of Sulabh International; the physically disabled youngsters from Divyajyoti Centre in Varanasi that provides them with valuable vocational training; the women rescued by Guria, a Varanasi-based non-profit that fights prostitution; the widows of Vrindavan; acid attack survivors associated with the Stop Acid Attacks campaign; and the proud members of the transgender community.

Mannaerts recalls some interesting moments from his shoot at Meera Sahbaghini Ashram in Vrindavan, “After I had spent a few days going around town, I landed up one morning in front of this ashram. The women welcomed me with huge smiles and I felt they were happy to see me. Some of the older ones were initially hesitant to pose in front of the camera and so I told them that they didn’t have to get photographed. However, after a while, as the ice melted, it was the others who convinced them to get their picture taken. Once they were willing, there was no stopping them.”

In Rajasthan, Mannaerts was truly moved by the heartfelt reception he got from the women who were once silently bearing the ignominy of being manual scavengers. “They heartily welcomed me into their small homes; it was an incredible feeling. And I felt the same way when I was with Manju and Sheela-ji, two women who not only take care of children with disabilities but also help out sex workers in Varanasi. Their dedication to their work blew me away. For instance, Manju, who reaches out to sex workers, has often been threatened with dire consequences if she continues but that in no way deters her from her mission. I went with her into the red light district near the railway station where she gives lessons to sex worker’s children. She simply told me to be alert and discreet with my camera. Despite the imminent dangers, there she was, boldly doing what she thought was right. That’s her everyday life,” he says.

The time he spent with his extraordinary friends, Abheena and Amitava, a hijra (eunuch) and a transgender, was unforgettable and fun. He shares, “I had a great time when I went with Abheena and Amitava to the beauty parlour. We spent the whole afternoon, talking joking and taking pictures. They had so much positive energy and enthusiasm despite the obvious discrimination they encounter virtually on a daily basis. As I walked beside her on the busy street, I was amazed by her pride, confidence and charisma.”

Whereas Mannaerts has been documenting people and social issues for many years now, ‘Fate Breakers’ is a project that is particularly close to his heart. “This is not the first time I have trained my lens on social concerns. But being in India has been immensely rewarding. I consider myself blessed to have met all these brilliant women who found me worthy of sharing their life with me. Honestly, it’s an experience of a lifetime,” he signs off.

Elsa Sherin Mathews