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Raghavendra Rao

While a lathi-charge or firing scene during a bandh could be a news picture, the visual man is always looking for a picture that has positive strength.

...An object that tells of the loss/destruction/disappearance of objects does not speak of itself. Tells of others. Will it include them...?

— Jasper Johns

Of all the cities in our country I have this special fascination for Kolkata. When a long time ago Rajiv Gandhi termed the city as a `decaying city,' the city rebelled, State rebelled and many in the country were shocked. I even refused to do a story for a leading magazine, which believed Rajiv had a point.

Culturally rich, people very friendly — to me it is a city close to heart. When a few years ago Business Line (BL) had its best pictures on display on show at Kolkata's famous book fair, I was amazed and very happy when hundreds thronged the stall and complimented the BL team. And then, way back in 1965, I saw Eden Garden set on fire during a test match against West Indies. But the memory that lingers is that of a dozen young leading me to safety. Yes, this is a city that has acquired many a distinction. There is music in the air, the theatre hums with activity and visual art flourishes and add to that the cordiality/friendship only a Bengali is capable of.

And then a couple of days ago, I saw this picture of the otherwise inch-to-inch busy South Kolkata's Hazra area. No people, no traffic and a strange quiet giving a different dimension to the word `silence' and there happily walking across was this crow. That was a bandh day and capturing the happenings and mood of the city was Parth Sanyal — a very sensitive visual man of the BL photo team. The initial burst of violence, shouting over forcing people to lock themselves in the safety of their homes... the activists of the bandh were taking it easy... A couple of trams and a few busses rushed past by but this silence was not one who would crave for.

The crow had flown from the nearby municipal garbage dump after having its late launch and must have been surprised at the sight of the lonely street. And there it was taking a leisurely walk... a sense of freedom ingrained. Parth recorded the moment but knew that it was really just one moment in the ever-stretching calendar. The picture was symbolic of one's longing. "Tell me more about these bandhs Parth," I ask him on the phone. How many times does the artificial calm engulf the city or the silence shattered by shouting and violence?

Parth is disturbed about these bandhs. The picture he has is his craving, a desire, a want for his beloved city to get away from these bandhs, at best artificial in its dimension and depth.

Parth speaks: "Bandh and Kolkata have become synonymous. True, it is a culturally rich city but odd that over a period it has acquired `the bandh culture" in its system. Acknowledged as a thinking class, it is strange that the people of the State have to bow down to this new cultural ethos. They are aware of the huge loss the State suffers, aware that it is a blow to its name. They suffer quietly the turmoil/difficulty forced on by the situation. These days, a bandh means an extra holiday, and the trend is to call for a bandh during weekend or club it with a national holiday! Assurance of absence from work for a couple of days or more. There are times when in a month there are two bandhs, one called by the opposition and one by the ruling party. And any of these ugly/unwanted actions is heralded as a success!"

Parth is hurt by the growing trend of these bandhs, and it certainly is not the desire or want of all people. He has no choice. As a journalist, as a visual man, he is out on the streets seeing anger and destruction at the behest of some people. While a lathi-charge or firing or destruction could be a news picture, he is always looking for a picture that has positive strength. And so the crow moves, walks... in one of those moments of peace and tranquillity.

Forced, artificial, yes. But just that brief period is a moment to cherish.

Picture by Parth Sanyal

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