Khirkee Voice (Issue 7) English

KHIRKEE VOICE

AUTUMN EDITION

ISSUE #7

Ch.7 of Forced into the Ocean

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2018

ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST

Mongoose

PLEASANT & WARM WITH SCATTERED T-STORMS AND RAIN

WARM & HUMID, GETS COOLER BY DECEMBER WITH CHILLY EVENINGS

Snow Leopard

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

PLEASANT & SUNNY, GETS COLD AND RAINY BY DECEMBER

KINSHASA, CONGO

illa

PLEASANT& WARM THROUGHOUT, WITH OCCASSIONAL T-STORMS

LAGOS, NIGERIA

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LEARNING

HAPPINESS The Delhi Government recently introduced a ‘Happiness Curriculum’ at govt. schools in the city.

Khirkee Voice finds out what the program is about, and how the kids are responding to it.

Mahavir Singh Bisht Translation- Vedika Singhania

DELHI, INDIA

House Sparrow

Supported by

Tea Under the Art Classes bring Singing Tree neighborhood kids joy

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S E A S O N A L REPORT

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ndia ranks 133rd in a survey of 156 countries conducted by the United Nations for its annual ‘World Happiness Report’.

Our neighbours Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka feature far ahead of us, at 75, 97, 101, 115 and 116 respectively. In recent times, there have been calls to change the parameters that gauge a nation’s prosperity from ‘economic development’ to ‘happiness index’.

The calculative understanding of happiness here is determined by indicators like per capita income, healthy life expectancy, social support (from government), freedom (to make one’s own life decisions), trust (in fellow citizens and government institutions) and generosity (towards others).

To achieve these social goals, the government needs to focus on healthcare and education, along with announcing social development policies that can be implemented.

At its core, the quality of life can be determined by the quality of education. An aware, literate and happy adolescent becomes a capable, competent youth and citizen. To understand the correlation between ‘happiness’ and education in our neighborhood, we spoke to a few residents here.

Naresh Kumar, a Khirkee resident for around 15-years says, “Urban lifestyle is difficult and complicated.

We look for happiness in the small things. If my family is happy, so am I. I want my children to get quality education. There has been a paradigm shift in the environment of government schools in Delhi. My youngest child studies there. I am happy that he likes going to school now.”

Khirkee Voice decided to pursue the reason behind this monumental makeover that changed the opinion of these guardians about the quality of education in the city’s government schools. On further investigation, we discovered that the Delhi government has been working

on infrastructural development & improving quality of education in government schools since their term began in 2015, and has recently introduced a ‘Happiness Curriculum’ for students in grades I to VIII. Similar programs have been announced in Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh before the Delhi govt. adopted it. Originally developed in countries like Denmark, Bhutan and Canada, the objective of these programs is not only promoting quality education, but also to develop an all-rounded personality with a focus on mental development. Happiness is a crucial factor for the healthy development of a child. For a quality analysis, we need a group of experts focused on formulating a foolproof process and cultivating it into mainstream practice.

ASER 2017: Education Report, states that 25% children between the age of 14-18 face difficulties in reading basic sentences in their own language. Moreover, 57% are incapable of performing basic

calculations. These statistics give us a reality check about the education system of India. Keeping these figures in view, the ‘Happiness Curriculum’ was widely praised by students and their guardians alike. The results were evident in the 2018 board results when government school students yielded better results than those from private schools. Not only this, but the schools around South Delhi, which include areas like Khirkee, witnessed a monumental shift in its infrastructure. With changes in furniture and vastly improved state of cleanliness, the energy of classrooms had transformed completely. A more dynamic and interactive way of communication training was imparted to teachers.

Pawan Bhargava, a government teacher in South Delhi says, “As a collaborative effort, we have decided to eliminate the process of rote learning and instead focus on an activity-based and interactive process of learning.” The results 8 displayed by the students are

West African Lion

ALL WE NEED IS LOVE

PLEASANT & WARM WITH SCATTERED T-STORMS AND RAIN

Artist Balbir Krishan has lived a life of extreme trials and tribulations, only to bounce back, stronger and more resilient every time. Khirkee Voice brings you his extraordinary story of love and the power of art to heal Mahavir Singh Bisht Translation- Neha Suyal

MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

Hirola

endangered animals illustrations: aru bose

SUSTAINABILITY & NEIGHBORHOOD

Snippets of Hostel Life

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Gor

12 PAGES

WARM AND HUMID WITH SCATTERED RAINS

PATNA, INDIA

Ganga River Dolphin

SUNNY WITH LIGHT RAINS, GETS COOLER BY DECEMBER

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History owes an apology to the members of this community and their families, for the delay in providing redressal for the ignominy and ostracism that they have suffered through the centuries.

The members of this community were compelled to live a life full of fear of reprisal and persecution,” Justice Malhotra said in her 50page verdict decriminalising homosexuality.

On 6th of September, section 377 was struck down from Indian Penal Code. The LGBT community along with their supporters celebrated this historic

verdict. It was a big struggle, in which many fought their individual battles against a society which failed to accept them as their own. The battle is still on, for those in small towns, who continue fighting the orthodox forces that constantly try to pull them down.

Balbir Krishan is an artist who lives in New York with his partner Mike. His story is not a simple one. His paintings have a silent, mysterious and meditative quality, even though his life has been full of turbulence and strife. A wellknown artist and a strong advocate for LGBTQ Rights, Balbir was born in a jaat family on 1st December, 1973, in Bijrol village in 9 Balbir works intently on a painting at his studio

KHIRKEE VOICE • Autumn Edition 2018

A Khirkeewasi’s Guide to the Sustainable Development Goals Malini Kochupillai

garbage into wallets, notebooks, lamps and potted plants among a range of DIY objects.

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he Sustainable Development Goals are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations Development Programme, and are presented on the UNDP website as “a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.”

As world leaders debate global catastrophe in the form of climate change, and offer lofty goals for nations to aspire to, the immediate world of our neighborhoods and communities lie crumbling and ignored- waiting for some official somewhere to sign some paper to dig yet another hole in the ground and yet another boundary wall towards development. Tired of the waiting and dodging puddles, Khirkee Voice decided to think of ways to address the big problems of the world, which ultimately are caused and affected by each one of us, with simple, local ideas and baby steps towards solutions.

Khirkee, due to its tight knit fabric of co-existence, and an active, small business driven street culture, offers opportunities for networks of support to build up over time, which in turn become a safety net in times of duress. During demonitisation, most of the cash strapped neighborhood existed on ‘udhaari’, taking goods in exchange for an entry in a ledger. While this doesn’t reduce poverty, it helps alleviate the worst ramifications of abject poverty and need.

Growing food for oneself is becoming more and more easy with new technologies like Hydroponics, vertical farming etc.

One can imagine a community driven movement to facilitate and encourage individuals and families to grow their own food, with a network of experts and committed enthusiasts from within the community creating a support system for the growers.

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Just as a clean and peaceful home environment can keep one healthy and produce a sense of well being, the clean and safe shared public spaces within a neighborhood can make a healthier, happier community. We as individuals must take the onus of the responsibility towards the cleanliness and safety not just of our homes, but also of the streets, parks and markets within our communities, starting with ourselves, and setting an example for others to follow.

Municipal schools in Delhi have lately been making the news for their progressive initiatives in public education. Public schools, where kids who come from across the wide socio-cultural diversity of our society, co-learn and grow together into more empathetic individuals, and can potentially transform the socio-cultural fabric of our cities.

The streets of Khirkee are teeming with people and activity, but are conspicuous for the dearth of women in our public spaces. This is reflective of the poor numbers of women in our workforce.

Research has shown that educated, financially independent women raise more healthy and financially independent kids and families.

Collectives emerging from within Communities can encourage, and facilitate creative programs to help bring more financial opportunities for under-privileged girls and women. Sweccha for instance runs skills training programs, helping women earn a real income through selling products made locally by upcycling waste and reusable

The community as a collective can work towards being more conservative in their attitude towards water, taking individual and collective action towards rain water harvesting, and making sure the communities waste water is properly treated before being released into the common water systems of the city.

Rapidly developing technology has made it easier, and more affordable, to install sustainable sources of energy like solar panels, even for individuals.

At the community level, local governance should facilitate and subsidise the installation of solar panels for private and collective use, over time reducing our collective dependence on coal and petroleum for our energy needsan imperative for our survival. Low manitenance solar cookers are also easily available for household use.

Low rents and a healthy combination of small businesses, service providers and residences, all coexisting along compact, interconnected streets and alleys, allows for a wide range of employment possibilities for people in the community. There is a possibility to set up a small business with very little overheads, in spaces as small as one square meter, for entrepreneurs of all shades and ability. It is also possible to quickly turn around an ailing business, as there is always a new need or demographic to serve.

Low overheads, and proximity of access to the larger city, facilitate a wide variety small businesses and trade activities to sprout up within the fabric of the neighborhood.

Entrepreneurs could potentially start new businesses with little investment, allowing them breathing room for trial and innovation. Local infrastructure is non-existent, but the communities resilience in the face of official apathy is cause for hope. More collective action driven by the community to demand better services and infrastructure is much needed.

Inequalities can only reduce if more and more people feel empowered to take control of their destinies- in the most basic sense, this means access to paid workregardless of qualifications.

There are many avenues of work for everyone in a place like Khirkee, catering to all cross-sections of the community. Small business owners serve to the local daily needs of the community. Some of the businesses like local boutiques export to other parts and social strata of Delhi, and beyond, while creating much needed employment for migrants and labourers.

Khirkee Extension is home to a diverse community of people from UP, Bihar, Bengal, Somalia, Congo, Ivory Coast, Afghanistan and Iran. The neighborhood offers sustainable resources for all. These communities interact with each other to develop an interdependent community in which harmony and understanding for each other, while not constant, is quite prevalent.

It is easy to find repair services for almost anything one might use regularly within walking distance in Khirkee. This culture of repair and re-use, instead of the ‘use and discard’ attitude of the larger society, makes Khirkee already a part of the responsible consumption movement.

Consuming less energy is a choice we can all make as individuals.

Communities like Khirkee already facilitate less energy consumption as most goods, amenities and services including schools, healthcare, a range of employment opportunities, multiple modes of public transport, daily supplies, repair shops, etc. are all within convenient walking distance of the neighborhood, making residents less dependent on private vehicles for transport. A larger percentage of residents also chose to use bicycles for their commutes in the neighborhood.

It might be convenient to think that the Seas and Oceans are too far away from us for us to have any effect on them, but this is far from the truth. All the plastic we use and throw- plastic bags, bottles, packaging material etc eventually, through our many waterways and disposal channels, make their way into the ocean, chocking marine life and creating horrifying plastic islands that destroy marine ecosystems. We can all do our bit by stopping the use of plastic- bring reusable cloth bags for groceries, carry sturdy water bottles that we refill for use, buy loose grains and pulses in paper bags instead of prepackaged goods. We could 5

photographs- vidisha saini

Autumn Edition 2018 • KHIRKEE VOICE

HOW THE ARTS CAN NURTURE A COMMUNITY Vidisha Saini

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rt is not only a means to engage with the academy or the millionaire market, but can also respond to society’s cultural demands. Artists with empathetic values have created various models of engagement within, or in collaboration with, communities across the world.

A few contemporary artists, in their practice, respond to their understanding of the implications and relationships of the various disciplines of society that impact people’s lives - such as Economics, real estate, government policy, indigenous values, family, work, healthcare etc. - by creating events, setting up new spaces, offering time and creative skills. Some of the most impactful workshops have been ones that aimed to improve skills that members of a community are familiar with, creating spaces of colearning and avenues to earn extra income. Projects like ‘Dorchester Projects’ in Chicago and ‘Project Row Houses’ in Houston in the US are two excellent case studies in this kind of engagement. These projects also help us think about how the spaces that we occupy and live in can become sites for investigating and rebuilding collectively.

Delhi is a major city of migration from not only within India, but many parts of the world. People come from different incomes, mostly seeking employment or

education and low rent areas like Khirkee usually become their first home. As these neighborhoods develop, new businesses crop up, seemingly overnight, catering to everyone’s needs- from the basic, to the exotic- all within walking proximity. Some of these new additions to the area alienate original residents, leading them to either embrace or create boundaries. Khirkee has sites of food with multiple cuisines, art spaces, NGOs, small businesses, etc. which make it a possible future model of a self-sustaining locality, if these independent efforts are made accessible to everyone and they collectivize to meet the communities’ overlooked needs.

How can communities identify and create solutions for their needs and demands, as well as embrace new learning? How can one build a strong support system within these communities? Project Row Houses (PRH) is a canon on how one might create a space that a community needs, and selfbuilds, with financial support and shared operations. PRH is an arts and transitional housing project located in the Third Ward in Houston (Texas, US), which continues to honor the history and culture of this historically Black neighborhood. The project also finds ways to develop and counter the upscale gentrification of surrounding areas. Founded by seven artists in the early 90s,

the collective purchased a set of 22 houses in the Third Ward and restored them using seed funding by the National Endowment for the Arts and Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation. A local private arts foundation, The Menil Collection, gave their staff Mondays off to help renovate the properties.

People pitched in to clean up, and the neighboring church and other families adopted a house. The project came post an encounter that Rick Lowe (founding member of PRH) had with some school children, who mentioned to him during a studio visit that in his arts practice he was informing people of the problems they have, which they already knew of, why not create solutions instead?

PRH runs various arts programs including exhibitions, residencies, and seminars; a transitional housing program for single mothers; and programs to support small businesses. The residencies encourage artists doing socially engaged work to come and work with the people in the neighborhood, they also invite students for mentorships with other practitioners. The studios are usually open, though the work is also shared through exhibitions and other events. One set of houses are being occupied by a program called the ‘Young Mothers Residential Program’, where single, low-income mothers are provided with transitional

housing, counseling and support to complete their educations and build a career, while their child is raised in a creative, holistic environment, helping them live a life of dignity and self-reliance.

The ‘Small-Business Incubation Program’ supports young entrepreneurs to experiment and test their products and business models within the small supportive community of the Third Ward and beyond. They provide support for certain duration at the houses and further provide space in shopping blocks. Young entrepreneurs embrace new demands, while also controlling prices and providing for the neighborhood. PRH has been successful in preserving the Third Ward culture by bringing finance, designing and providing for the needs of the community.

Arts and care are not necessarily practiced by artists alone, but by anyone within a community who seeks to nurture it by sharing what they know and beginning a dialogue. Some other ways to meet the demands of rising prices and our desolate urban lives are social projects and spaces where the elderly spend time with children whose parents are out at work, people sharing service skills with each other like plumbing, gardening, electricians work, etc. which help them find employment.

Building a support network for legal, medical and other required expertise. Exchanging languages, music, food and cultures as a way of building mutual respect, trust and appreciation. Within Khirkee, one can see the possibilities of all of these engagements.

Left: Project Row Houses, Houston, TX, USA. March 2018 Below: “Right to Stay, Right to Say” installation by Zeinab Bakhiet, Olutomi Subulade, Melanie Meleekah Villegas, PRH Round 47, Houston, TX, USA

malini kochupillai

NEW BEGINNINGS AND THE WAY FORWARD

Vinit Gupta talks photo essays with his students at the photography workshop

Malini Kochupillai

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lmost exactly two years ago, on Sept 29, 2016, a new idea was born as the result of a six-week-long long artists residency at Khoj International Artists Association in Khirkee Extension. The idea was for a community-driven newspaper to try to bridge the many social, economic and cultural divides of the neighborhood through stories, anecdotes, photography and drawings. It has since developed into a real project that has engaged with the community in exciting

and unusual ways over the past two years.

Over this past summer, Khirkee Voice, with generous support from Khoj, organized free workshops in photography and writing. The aim was to expose a group of young and diverse individuals to some of the skills that go into the making of a community newspaper. Over the course of four weekends, aspiring writers were guided by Aditi Angiras in developing skills in creative writing, while a group photography enthusiasts engaged with Vinit Gupta on the process of building, and editing a photo essay.

The workshops are driven by the ambition to, over time, develop a self-sustaining model of a community ‘newspaper’ that is truly from and of the neighborhood. They are a first step towards a series of engagements that ultimately aim to create a group of informed, engaged and driven members within the Khirkee community to take the project on for themselves. While this idea will take its own course and time to develop, we are thrilled to bring our readers some of the work our participants developed in this first set of workshops within the pages of this issue.

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KHIRKEE VOICE • Autumn Edition 2018

down the stairs and sprinted for her neighbor’s mango grove. She swiftly hopped over the old timber fence and landed on the soft leaves of the old grove. Feeling a moment of respite amongst the trees, she began to collect her thoughts. Her sister’s family had left earlier that day, while she was away at work.

Her boss, a local shopkeeper had told her of what was happening in the heart of the capital and told her to head for home before the villages deteriorated into full anarchy. When Mala arrived home, her sister’s house had already been abandoned. As she was gathering supplies, she heard the men trying to enter the house. As thoughts raced through her head, Mala took a deep breath and began to look around the mango grove. The green leaves sheltered her from the fading day. The evening was creeping in and fruit bats were beginning to screech and sing as they dove in and out of the grove.

Mala watched as their humungous bodies twisted through the trees expertly searching out ripe mangoes to gorge themselves on.

Hearing shots out in the village, she started to slowly wander deeper into the darkening mango grove. Between the cracks in the trees she could see the sky fade into bold violets and bright pinks that were characteristic of late winter in the Caribbean. The bright yellow hue of the mangos hung in the air like oddly shaped planets strewn across her vision. She followed the glowing fruit further into the grove and farther from the dusty chaos that was ensuing in the

EXCLUSIVE SERIES

FORCED INTO THE OCEAN 7th installment of an Artist’s rendition of his great grandmothers forced migration.

A Coup D’état

TEXT + ARTWORK ANDREW ANANDA VOOGEL

S

he was hiding as a loud rap came at the door. Mala held her breath. She was gathering up cans of food in the pantry cupboard as she heard the front door of her sister’s home being beat down. The looting had begun that afternoon after Bouterse’s men begun descending from the outlying hills of Paramaribo.

As the soldiers moved through the villages they ransacked local government offices and police stations, making it known that a new force was to be in power soon. The men, numbering in the hundreds had been lead by a military faction called Group16.

After independence from the Dutch, Suriname had experienced an increasing presence of rebellion amongst local warlords and militias. Bouterse, the leader of Group16 had gathered a cadre of former military sergeants that were

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ready to take back the country from the Dutch installed postindependence government. That particular day, the militias had stormed the center of the capital, and civil unrest began to erupt across the country.

Mala had only just come to Suriname a few months earlier, escaping unrest in her neighboring country of Guyana. Guyana, which had obtained independence almost a decade earlier than Suriname, was in a similar state of post-colonial chaos, a soup of resentment, poverty, clashing cultures, foreign interests and violent men all mixing to make for unstable times in what was otherwise, a beautiful landscape.

As the knocks on her sister’s door became louder, Mala exhaled slightly. Local bandits were using the nation wide coup as an excuse to plunder homes and businesses

in the villages. Mala’s sister had left with her family earlier that day back to Guyana on the very same route her father had smuggled her in on. Her sister thought it safer to wait out the active chaos in the neighboring land of latent chaos.

A loud boom filled Mala’s ears as the door collapsed and multiple footsteps entered her sister’s home.

Taking a deep breath, she stayed quietly in the pantry cupboard, quietly closing the door. As the men roamed through her sister’s home, looking for anything of value, Mala’s mind raced. She could hear them talking, they sounded drunk.

They were moving through the house violently, knocking things over, most likely looking for hidden valuables. When the men entered her sister’s bedroom, Mala quietly opened the pantry door and dashed out of the gaping hole where the front door used to stand. She leapt

laneways of her sister’s village. The deeper she got into the grove the more tired she became, eventually finding herself at the far edge of her neighbor’s property, she glanced the bordering jungle. There was a clear line where the mango trees stopped and the tall endless timbers of the rainforest began. Laying her small sack of supplies down, she placed her head on it and closed her eyes. In the distance she could hear the crack of tiny explosions, but the sounds became fainter and fainter as she slipped into a restless sleep. Her mind sunk into the moist soil of the mango grove.

As the soft ground pulled her body deeper into the earth, Mala felt the gentle embrace of the jungle as her drifting thoughts began to wander beyond the grove. Her mind floated gently through the darkness, till eventually she noticed something sparkling in the distance. She slowly approached the glistening object and suddenly her surroundings shifted to the interior of a building.

The building was dusty and built of fading timber beams. Poorly lit by slivers of light breaking through cracks in old window shudders, Mala’s eyes wandered around the space. She glanced rolls of silk in the corner, and fancy beauty products, the kind imported from India that could only be purchased in the higher end boutiques in the nice part of Paramaribo. She walked over to the window shutters and threw them wide open. Bright early morning light flooded her vision and the sequined sari’s and delicate fabrics began to wistfully sparkle through the dark and

man she didn’t recognize came out of a small office on the second floor of the shop and peered down passed her towards the man. The man strained his eyes to see who had come to pay him a visit so early in the morning. “Ohhhhh…Mr. Voogel, how are you, please come up to my office,” the man shouted loudly, but in a polite tone. “Thank you Miss,” the Dutchman said with a comfortable smile as he moved passed her up the stairs towards Mr. Kahn. Mala watched the man disappear into Mr. Kahn’s office.

She wondered who the man could be, but idly went back to eyeing the sparkling saris that were strewn all over the shop. Mala felt her stomach grumble and within an instant her eyes began to open and she was back in the gentle darkness of the mango grove.

NEW BEGINNINGS /from page 3 Ancy Thomas, one of our photography workshop participants, has developed a sensitive, and touching account of her friends’ lives in a college hostel, with a photo essay, which she says is only the beginning of her enquiry into the subject. Also published are the first installments of series being developed by two of our writing workshop participants- one a Play written by Steven S George, an aspiring writer and photographer, who participated in both the workshops; the other an auto-biographical account of the fraught and eventful life of Murwarid Paiwand, an Afghan refugee who lives in the neighborhood. Khirkee Voice and our workshop facilitators will continue to help develop these stories, to be serialised and published over the next few issues, while also working with our other participants for a chance to be published here in future.

Over the course of the past six issues, Khirkee Voice has, through stories, artworks, poetry and photographs, painted a rich portrait of the diverse members of this

Vinit Gupta deep in conversation with his students at the photography workshop

community, while also attempting to create a means of communication between the many people that make up the fabric of the neighborhood. We have also explored through our pages some of the possibilities that lie within the arts and literature to talk about a range of complex global ideas and concerns from a local, more relatable, perspective. Having experienced first-hand some of the encouraging reactions of our readers to our publication and other popup events, we are more convinced

than ever about the potential of a project like Khirkee Voice to spur positive collective action towards the many challenges that our communities and neighborhoods face.

As we head into the third year of our project, we are hopeful that this idea takes deeper roots within the imagination of the neighborhood, while the idea goes beyond our little community, where more collectives embrace new ways of building trust, understanding, and collective action within their own communities and neighborhoods.

mahavir singh bisht

musty corners of the old dusty shop. There was a closed sign on the shop door and Mala could hear some footsteps shuffling around above her head. She turned around to see who it was and noticed a set of stairs. Her eyes glimpsed a sign at the top of the stairs stating “Mr. Kahn’s Beauty Boutique.”

Her mind began interrogating the new surroundings when the front door opened. Mala swung back around toward the front of the shop and her eyes caught glimpse of a tall and slender figure. As the figure entered the shop, Mala’s eyes began to make out what appeared to be a Dutchman, his curly blonde hair and blue eyes caught her off guard. The man approached her and she gave him a startled look.

“Excuse me Miss, is Mr. Kahn in?” he queried. Confused, she looked back toward the stairs; a pudgy

shubham chakrbarty

Autumn Edition 2018 • KHIRKEE VOICE

Facing page: Village Grove, Silver Gelatin Print, circa 1970’s Above: Downtown Paramaribo, Silver Gelatin Print, circa 1970’s Below: Crossings, Oil on Paper, 2014

Aditi Angiras reads Murwarid’s story. Aditi guided Murwarid in the piece that she has submitted to Khirkee Voice

A KHIRKEEWASI’S GUIDE TO THE SDG’S /from page 2 also go back to our customary ‘pattals’ to serve food during the many langars in neighborhood temples.

Much like into the oceans, nonbiodegradable trash like thermocol, plastics and man made resins can pollute our forests and natural habitats on land. Animals, both domestic and wild, eat this trash and become very sick and often die. While there have been many attempts to ban plastic, even this small first step has largely failed in our city and neighborhood. The

onus lies on each one of us to carry reusable bags for shopping, and stop relying on plastic carry bags.

At the community level, it is important to have strong institutions that look out for the collective interests of the neighborhood, and are empowered with charting out programs and initiatives to achieve goals at the scale of the community. Local RWA’s, if truly representative of the cross section of the neighborhood, could play a pivotal role in creating such strong local institutions.

Khirkee is already home to a wide range of social, cultural, educational and creative institutions, making it ripe with possibilities for partnerships and collaborations across disciplines, on the path to achieving these sustainability goals. While the task seems insurmountable when considered at a global or national scale, at the scale of a neighborhood or community, the possibilities of collective action to create noticeable change from within seems somewhat more achievable, and doable.

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KHIRKEE VOICE • Autumn Edition 2018

Left: Sneha in her sparcely decorated room, lost in her thoughts Above: Rinzin offering morning prayers at her carefully decorated altar Below: Feminist poster and birthday cards/photos in Sandra’s room Below Left: Rinzin studying on her treasured double bed

HOSTEL LIFE

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME “ I live in the hostel with the necessary and minimal things.

I live with the mindset that if I am asked to vacate tomorrow, I can pack my things and leave.” said Sneha, from Kottayam district in Kerala, pursuing M.Phil in Political Science, Delhi University.

In sharp contrast, Rinzin’s room looked like a hotel suite. “I always wanted a double bed, so as soon as I got a room alone, I put the two beds in my room together to make a big bed for myself ”, said Rinzin, a student of Tibetan origin, persuing an MPhil in Buddhist Studies at Delhi University.

I went in search of a calm place.

Surprisingly, I didn’t have to go far away to the mountains. I found it in my friend’s hostel in North West

Delhi, when I went for a night stay.

The neighbourhood of the hostel offers different emotions to different people. For a guest like me, it gave serenity. To wake up in the morning to the sounds of the peacock felt new and relaxing. But how were the hostellers experiencing their lives here? My photo essay is an attempt to understand their transient space and how they make such a space their own. My interest was to see how girls from different social backgrounds experienced hostel life and whether they view their space as homely.

Their perceptions about the hostel is influenced by their family life, relationship with their parents and siblings, living conditions at home, their evolving political concerns

and friendships within the hostel and outside. The wall art and the objects that they connect with are an important part of their journey to this hostel, exhibiting their interests and political leanings.

The rooms become an extension of their personality. It gives us clues regarding their take on them turning their space into a ‘homely’ space or a just another refuge away from home. I found two different approaches to the attitude towards the living space.

One approach was to live with the bare minimum things and see the hostel space as a temporary refuge. The transience of their stay prevents them from indulging in putting up wall art or buying too many things. The other approach

was to fill the hostel room with all the material objects that make them comfortable and speak of their personality. They make an attempt to make the room appear like their own home. Even within the restriction of the transient nature of their stay, they are comfortable with using a lot of objects.

Both the approaches speak about the individual’s attempt to cope up with the impermanence and strangeness of city life and sustain themselves.

In the hostel, the women felt that they faced a paradox. Here, everyone is busy with their own lives. So they feel isolated at times. But if one has a close friends, then it is enjoyable and they find activities to do together. Roommates hold an im-

portant place, especially when they are also friends. They leave notes for each other. They plan trips with each other. They buy food for each other. My friend Safeeda once said “The only good thing going in my life is my roommate.” Care and affection achieve a new meaning when they are away from home.

One woman told me that she learnt to become caring when she started interacting with her hostel mates over time. Another time my friend told me that when her roommate called her “Safee mole” she felt like she was back home again! (Mole is a term of endearment in Malayalam, which means daughter.)

Home then becomes a feeling, an emotion, wrapped in the warmth of care and affection.

PHOT

Above: Friend Above Right: Below Right: D Below: Dhivya Hanuman and

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Autumn Edition 2017 2018 • KHIRKEE VOICE Winter Edition,

Left to Right: Dhivya’s study space populated by her books, utensils and protest march posters; Political and inspirational posters in Dhivya’s room; Notes, stickers and a farewell T-shirt in Sandra’s room

ANCY THOMAS

TOS + TEXT

ds gather when Safeeda returns from a vacation Dhivya’s room. A single occupant, she loves to keep her room clean and neat Dhivya studying in her room a’s puja space. Her mother’s photo along with her favourite Gods Ganesha, d Murugan are kept here

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LEARNING HAPPINESS /from page 1

mahavir singh bisht

evidence of the success of this changed mindset.

Under the ‘Happiness Curriculum’ students practice meditation, storytelling and activities for all-round development and spiritual growth in the first hour of school. They are also encouraged to forge better relations with their family members and friends. Khirkee resident, Salma, 11, says, “I like to meditate. It gives me immense peace and streamlines my focus into studies.” Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia believes that apart from skill development, it is necessary to impart a moral foundation among students, which will in turn lead to a better nation.

According to him, the motive of education is not to score high numbers but children and youth should be encouraged to become empowered, awakened and happy citizens. This forces us to believe that if the government and its related organisations can provide a happy atmosphere by focusing on economic and social policies, a new development model can be imagined where every citizen contributes to nation-building.

Vikas, 12, a Khirkee resident says, “In our previous class, we were asked to say ‘Thank You’ to our family members and friends.

When I went home and expressed my gratitude, my mother’s joy

etting off at Krishna Mandir with three other from a sharing auto, we were greeted with a whiff of bidi. A hearty laughter followed.

I traced it to find men huddled around the cobbler, smoking over a conversation. A familiar face popped out from among them to ask how am I. Embarrased while also feeling acknowledged, I said ‘hi’ to Kushboo’s father, a vegetable seller and my neighbour. Kushboo had come to me once, crying for help when here dad came home drunk and threw all the utensils

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WHEN HOME IS AN

IMAGINATION Murwarid is a young aviation profes-

sional living in Khirkee Village. Her family is from Afghanistan and, in this piece-in-three-parts, she explores where is it that she really comes from. While narrating her journey from Karachi to Dilli via Kabul, her reminiscing incites interesting questions about mass dislocation, political violence, Bollywood and the education system.

Murwarid smiles for the camera

Murwarid Paiwand

I

was born in Pakistan, but I am from Afghanistan. In 1996, the Taliban takeover of Kabul made many people escape their own homes. Their attack on Afghanistan and us, as they started dictating our lives by setting up their extreme rules and regulations, made life impossible. They would threaten and beat men, do nikah with married Afghani women and set many more restrictions like not allowing women to seek education.

These circumstances compelled my parents to migrate to Pakistan as there was no way of surviving anymore. They arrived in Karachi as refugees and faced many new problems there, they moved from crisis to crisis. Like other refugees, they did not know anyone in the new city, had no money and did not understand Urdu to be able to speak to the locals.

Adieu...

Punyasil Yonzon

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knew no bounds.” Apart from these initiatives, parents and guardians are constantly engaged in the ‘School Management Committee (SMC)’ and are involved in all decision making for their ward.

Gomti Devi, 45, says, “I like to interact with my child’s teachers.

They are constantly taking our opinions on important school issues. My son Rajeev has displayed progress in the last two years.”

Critics say that these projects are ambitious, but there will be several roadblocks while implementing these in a country like India.

Anandita Kar Gupta has been associated with development and education for over a decade. Gupta says, “Teachers must have a great understanding of psychological and emotional behaviour to conduct such sessions. This program must not be limited to class VIII; for a long-lasting impact, it should be implemented upto class XII. It’ll be awhile before we can understand it’s true potential.” For these social policies to function, it’s crucial that the state and central government share a common platform. Quality education is an indicator of a developed society. While programs like these are an excellent first step, keeping in mind the vastness of our country, institutions, individuals and everyone in between must work in cohesion towards achieving these goals.

leeda ferozy

KHIRKEE VOICE • Autumn Edition 2018

from the kitchen shelves. He has since always greeted me. I walked past them towards home, following the golden dust that sparkled under the yellow street light. I was mesmerized until the auto honks and bike sirens brought me back to find myself lost for direction. I quickly took a right and entered the lane leading to J Block.

If India is the land of exotic, Khirkee I say, is it’s microcosm.

It allures the dreamers and the daring, offering a convenient pass to experience that which will last with you a lifetime. There are multiple gateways that led you into this magical land and each of

it’s lanes never fails to charm you.

They present you with whatever desires your fancy thus diffusing in you a sense of achievement.

And the optimism that ensues is an essential factor that propels you to further explore yourself and the land of Khirkee.

I moved to South Delhi as a young professional with head full of dreams. The bustling energy at Khirkee had enraptured me as I could envision possibilities.

I quickly booked a prime seat for myself. I knew I had to be a part of this and experience it from the front seat. With an easy access, basic amenities in place and comfortable

In the beginning, they had to live in a refugee camp and life was very difficult there. But eventually, things started to get better as they started getting some help from locals who were empathetic to the Afghani cause. They found jobs, shifted into an apartment and their living standard started to improve.

Within a few years, I was born in the refugee family house. To avoid any financial problems, my mother wanted to return to work as soon as I was six months ago and it was decided that I would be left in the care of my older siblings.

At the age of four, I started going to kindergarten and remember being very happy to be around other children of my age. I still remember my first day there and that my mother was wearing a blue and white Punjabi suit when she came to pick me up after work.

Soon, she got me admission in a proper school in class nursery.

Everything was beginning to look up, I even liked my school a lot and liked going there.

But the best incident was when my mother brought home a TV that was gifted to her by her office.

When my father got us a cable set, we started watching Hindi movies and I fell in love with Bollywood. I had already started picking up Urdu in school, so I could understand the movies well. By now I had become a big fan of Madhuri Dixit, because that is what my father would watch -Govinda and Madhuri Dixit films, and I would watch all of them with him. I still remember all the dialogues from Koyla, Joru ka Gulaam, Mela, Mohra and others.

I was not doing too bad at school and had decided that acting is my calling in life, I was a happy child but that is when we got called back to Afghanistan. I was not sure what was about to happen and what was it that we were returning to.

ambience to feel rested, I was settled on my throne. I lived here on my terms and ran my own show too. I invited friends and families with great pride to share this comfort and and taste the thrill. I derive great pleasure remembering this golden era. The first parade my friends took to my party. They had relished the menu of my choice using cutlery that I could afford after settling their entry passes.

The throne has also provided me a great vantage point, enabling me to perceive beyond the obvious. The electricity meter reads more than just your electricity usage, I learnt.

It gauges your negotiable abilities and the patience to monitoring your neighbor’s water usage too.

The extra hands that help run the show can cause great misery as deciding a fair wage often disbalances one’s emotional and economy scale.

Many more such instances reflect in a flash as I look at the mirror that still holds its place while others lay packed in boxes, waiting to be picked up and pushed out of Khirkee. A smile shines through to gather my attention on the person that is myself. She has outgrown Khirkee I can see. The golden dust no more sparkles under the yellow street lights to mesmerize her but stifles her greatly. Its evenly coating on her throne angers her instead.

The sounds in the street is no more enticing but deeply disturbing to her peace. Convenience that

she once bragged about, has now become too accessible to make her uncomfortable. She strongly feels that the seriousness of her other world demands cannot be established in this carnival.

I look down from the balcony for the one last time, pick up the aloe vera plant and get ready to exit.

The neighbouring spectator says she will miss me and our morning discussions from across balconies.

I too will miss her. More than anything else, I will miss Khirkee and everything about this place. It was an overwhelming experience here and now I bid farewell to its amazing crowd. The sparkles dazzle somewhere else and it surely isn’t the golden dust this time.

Early morning chirps and trees shining under the evening sun is what I crave for. I leave Khirkee on a lookout for an energy that vibes to my calming needs. The search is still on while my days at Khirkee are already numbered. I have taken a temporary refuge with a friend.

Not every place can enrapture you instantly is Khirkee’s parting wisdom to me.

As the curtains roll down and fade into oblivion, its memories amuse me and I drive out of Khirkee with a lingering smile. The fluttering red flag atop Krishna Mandir slowly diminishes into the thin air and my heart swells to cry. But I contain it for I can see Kushboo’s father and I know he will ask how am I.

ALL WE NEED IS LOVE /from page 1 Uttar Pradesh. While other youth from his village wanted to join the police or armed forces, Balbir was destined to make his mark in the art world. He was forced to live on the fringes all along, but fought with his lust for life and love for art. He was threatened, his paintings were destroyed, he was attacked at his own exhibition, but he always bounced back stronger and and more resilient. Even when circumstances took his legs away, his spirit was unbroken.

“I am disabled, I am gay, but it can not prevent me from living on my own accord.”-Balbir Krishan If you look at Balbir’s paintings, you will see subtle brush strokes weaving gentle silhouettes. In some, the male body flows like a river and in some they are sitting quietly with their backs turned towards the viewer, as if hiding something. His themes include sexuality, gender, struggles, pain, freedom and hope, along with contemporary issues. These paintings have faces, as if meditating, looking into infinity. They seem to challenge the circumstances of his difficult childhood. In his adolescence he realised, he was different from other boys. When he was 9 years old, he had to be home for lunch everyday from school. His parents would be in the farm and leave his lunch on the table. Finding him alone at home, a neighbour molested him. In a bleeding state he rushed back to the school, but instead of

helping him, the teacher mocked him in front of his classmates. This incident destroyed his childhood.

He was assaulted many more times, and was threatened to keep his mouth shut.

To escape this misery, he would go to a canal at the edge of his farm and watch the sunrise and sunset in the reflection of the calm waters. Many years later, he would paint the interpretation of these memories on canvas, subtle forms and colors hiding layers of struggle.

At the age of 16, after a fight with his father, he ran away from home and came to Delhi. He slept on railway platforms, he sold fast food & snacks at traffic signals, he begged and worked as a helper with truck drivers. A truck driver once tried to rape him, Balbir fought him off and came back to Delhi.

Out of sheer luck, he found a job as a servant in a well-off family in Jind, Haryana. In the family’s library, he read stories of strife by writers like Munshi Premchand, planting new seeds of thought in his imagination. He felt strong reading these stories, and with this newfound courage and perspective, returned to his village. This time he told his molesters that he was no longer weak.

Now, Balbir was writing a new chapter of his life, but it was not going to be easy. He continued with his studies and refined his painting skills. During this period he was developing an awareness

thought doodles by author

MIMESIS

E

very day the cookers whistle shrieks tremulously, prompting meek men to rise before their sleep had refreshed their muscles. The sound activates the human senses just like an alarm clock, the nose sniffs out the amount of spices in the daal, the pungence not much of a reflection of acquired skills in cooking.

Living like the chickens caged in the Kasai shop, these people share each others timbre and flavours.

Despite an entire environment level crisis, the streets of the city never lose their charm. The proportions of the pothole and the proximity of dump yards are the empirical dialogues which pronounces the quality of the people residing in the particular area. The nobility amongst the gentry have jacketed the Southern region of the capital, the hub within the hub of commerce.

School-College going students and workers parade the streets in unison, like frightened cockroaches scattering from one quarter to another, with one objective in mind.

Before the sun spreads its gleaming light on these streets, few quick final exchanges finishing their duties. Their exit from the space, leads to the appearance of the real caretakers of the city. The only time when ragpickers and sweepers monopolise the city spaces, shooing away the dogs barking at them.

Dogs, like everyone else in the city, believe these people should not enter their spaces. The entire city is not cleaned at one pace, one reason may be the unavailability of so many hands, however the primary reason is the stratifications existing in the city.

The analogy between the diamonds and coal, demands the coal to be a vital component for the juxtaposition of an extravagantly beautiful diamond. The Mimesis.

A huge population is rushing at the Nukkad’s popular Satya’s tea stall, even before the sun has winked properly on Earth, in order to gulp down a glass of tea and mathi. Satya is the most accustomed to the routine, which every new workers struggles to fit

photos courtesy balbir krishan

Autumn Edition 2018 • KHIRKEE VOICE

Balbir and his partner Mike on their wedding day in New York in 2014

of his sexuality. But, he knew that he had to keep it a secret. During his college days, while pursuing his M.A. in painting, he fell in love with a boy. The boy already had a girlfriend and advised Balbir to find himself one as well. Balbir tried to develop a relationship with a girl, but it all seemed like a lie. He felt he was deceiving her. He felt nothing for her.

He confided his dilemma to a Rajasthani friend, only to find a crowd mocking him when he went out to fetch breakfast the next day. This broke Balbir. He started questioning his identity and life, he could not make up his mind or find composure to understand what to do. He started walking towards

the railway station, desperately, walking onto the tracks. He could see glimpses of his past life and could hear the insults hurled on him. In a matter of seconds, he found himself lying on the tracks.

The shuddering sounds of an approaching train made him lust for life again. But, it was too late.

He had lost both of his legs. He dragged himself away from the tracks and never looked back.

He left all his miseries in the past and in the coming years focused on finessing his skills in painting.

In this journey many angels saw the beautiful person inside and pushed him to move ahead in life.

His paintings would help alleviate his internal turmoil with every

stroke, as he started portraying his sexuality without any fear. He won many awards for his paintings and his artworks are sought after by both private collectors and museums.

Balbir’s search for true love ended when Michael came into his life. He says, ”But I’ve come out in so many ways in the last several yearsabout my sexuality, my youth, my “accident,” my art, my marriage to Mike, that coming out has become a mantra, the truth about who am I, what I do, and everything I want to do and be. I am Balbir, forty years of catastrophes and triumphs later, stepping out, journeying out, still coming out, into the world, and lusting for life.”

Act One of a play in Four Acts, written by Steven S. George Based on the lives and experiences of our migrant population into. Satya understands his responsibility of providing everyone the gluco-vita, which charges them till noon, sometimes evening. Like herds of sheep people, driven by their sole shepherd, the economy, are crossing over the roads to reach the white castle.

Satya (to his customers): The Castle is seriously a hell lot of opportunities. Every day I am doing the moral deed of feeding people, and at the same time earning remuneration out of it.

(People laugh) Person 1: Hard truth. Underneath the shade of the large peepal tree, playing cards with my friends, swimming in the river with buffaloes, I would have been just strolling the entire day in my village.

Person 2: You are right, the Castle is amazing. I would have never seen such an elegant place in my entire life.

Person 3: I think it is not the castle, it is the city. If the Castle were built in our village, there would be not a single person able to purchase anything, not even the Brahmins.

Satya: Village??? It has been 10 years in this glamorous city for me, I have not been able to set foot in the Castle even once.

Person 1: Why don’t you come with us? Our supervisor is hardly there, we ourselves are the supervisors as well as the workers. We will smoke Bidi together, there is a place upstairs which no one is aware of.

Satya: Yes I will sometime, that day we will smoke a cigarette. But then who will take care of you all.

There is hardly any rest day for the likes of us.

Person 1: Hey, what about you?

Are your village people capable of purchasing?

Ashfaque (Migrant): Haha. I would have been dead, if this Castle wouldn’t have been there.

(All Laugh, finish sipping their tea and leave quickly)

hopeful Khirkee. Through that Khirkee he often looks at his view of the Castle, with a sense of despair and incredulity.

The setting of Sun sees the city go into a dense commotion, the chaos amplified by the activity on the streets. The activities that follow after an unending day full of the mundane: personal slandering, repressed desires, longing of the past, swift movements, shattered muscles, vilifying the Government, criticizing people’s mentality and attacking migrant workers for all the filth in the city.

Amidst all the hustle and bustle, Satya sees from his Khirkee a frenzy in the street. He reaches the street only to find to his total dismay, what caused such havoc.

Person 1: Those Bloody Rascals!

They have arrested him.

2nd Act to follow in the Winter edition.

Every night Satya attempts to look for the stars in the sky, sometimes finds one, even if only occasionally. Being here for 10 years, he is finally able to afford a room shared with 2 people, it has one

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KHIRKEE VOICE • Autumn Edition 2018

TEA UNDER THE SINGING TREE

I WAS WALKING AROUND KHIRKEE ONE DAY, WHEN A PATCH OF THE WALL GAVE WAY TO A BRIGHTLY PAINTED TEA STALL. AS I SAT THERE, SIPPING A HOT CUP OF CHAI ON A WET AUGUST AFTERNOON...

IT TOOK ME BACK IMMEDIATELY TO THE SINGING TREE...

RAJU DA’S THE SINGING TREE WAS BOTH THERE AND NOT THERE. YOU MIGHT MISS IT IN THE EVENING BUSTLE AROUND CR PARK’S MARKET 1

TEXT+ARTWORK

ALIA SINHA BUT IF YOU DID NOTICE IT, IT WOULD UNFOLD SUCH GLORIES...

PAINTED TREES AND ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD GOSSIP

FAIRY LIGHTS A BLUE KETTLE, A PLASTIC SKULL, OTHER MYSTERIOUS DECORATIONS BRAVE RATS AND A MONA LISA AGAINST A WINDOW...

...AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS THE TEA IT WAS THE BEST WAY TO START A LONG DAY...

AND THE BEST WAY TO END ONE

THE RADIO PLAYED OLD HINDI LOVE SONGS. IT BECAME A SORT OF REFUGE (AS TEA PLACES TEND TO, FOR THOSE WHO NEED THEM)THE BEST PLACE TO BRING FRIENDS, BELOVEDS AND FAMILY. IT STARTED TO FEEL SAFE AND FAMILIAR AND IMPORTANT.

THEN IN JANUARY 2018 SOMEONE DECIDED THAT THE SINGING TREE WAS A MENACE. THAT IT WASN’T “SWACCH” ENOUGH. THAT IT ENCOURAGED UNSAVOURY THINGS, LIKE LOITERING AND YOUNG COUPLES.

SUDDENLY ONE MORNING, THE PLACE THAT HAD COLOURED THAT STREET WITH HOPE AND SAFETY AND CAMARADERIE SINCE 1989 WAS SWEPT AWAY, WITH BARELY A TRACE LEFT BEHIND.

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THREE WEEKS AGO ONE OF THE SINGING TREES’ TREE FELL DOWN. TODAY IN ITS PLACE STANDS A PEEPUL TREE SAPLING. DESPITE EVERYTHING. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT, LIKE IT, RAJU DA’S TEA STALL WILL ONE DAY COME BACK TO LIFE.

Autumn Edition 2018 • KHIRKEE VOICE

NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS MAKE NEW DISCOVERIES THROUGH ART

Above: Nilab, Meena and Omid stealing a selfie Above Right: At the Khirkee Festival, December 2017 Below: ‘Zombie Train’, accordion book by Sabra; ‘The Universe’; ‘Our funny family’, playing with clay and designing characters

all photos: aru bose

Aru Bose

S

ometime in February 2017, over a brief conversation with Radha from Khoj, I decided to volunteer to teach art and crafts to a few Afghani children residing in Khirkee Extension. Neither was I a trained artist, nor did I have any experience in teaching, or managing children; making me super anxious and slightly excited for this task I had taken on.

I began asking myself questions, not just about the content of these classes, but what I wanted this space to be, for me and them. Would there be a school-like classroom structure? How would I measure their progress? What were these parameters of progress? Would I be a teacher or mentor or friend?

Why would kids come to this art class? Would it add anything to their lives?

“Yahan humari mummy humko bahar jaane deti hai. Humko achha lagta hai, to go out. Our mother is not scared when we go out.”Maryam Although an art and crafts class, our focus is not the art we create. That has been a by-product of the conversations we’ve had with each other over the months.

We made zines about the things we see around us, or added our ‘zombie’ twist to the ride on the Delhi Metro, because we love ghost and ghoul stories! For many of the girls, walking around Khirkee is liberating, especially because they Left: Postcards at the Khirkee Festival Below: Muzhda making origami cranes

don’t live the fear they existed in back home. A narrative one doesn’t usually hear about Delhi! Our journey around Khirkee observing the types of people belonging to various geographies that exist in this urban microcosm has led to the creation of maps of this space.

“Didi, I like this class because yahan hum games khel sakte hai, aur free reh sakte hai.”- Layla What began as an informal stint of teaching kids art, has morphed into a beautiful yearlong initiative called the Khirkee Art Project, catering primarily to Afghani refugee girls. And boy, we’ve been through a whirlwind in the past year.

We’ve had some really great times – celebrating Eid and birthdays, to learning about origami and kirigami, understanding painting techniques and printmaking, to creating comics about our future dreams and desires.

We’ve had our share of not so great days too – when finding few hours for art seemed difficult with school, and after English and computer classes, and tuitions for school! And of course navigating the unpleasant days adolescents have, especially when we’ve had fights with our friends! We have had sessions about our emotions, and shared what makes us happy, angry or sad! And while the stress of school, and being teenagers is tough to deal with, we’ve come to the conclusion that sometimes a dance party with lots of cake and chips helps us feel better!

“Didi, aapko kya milta hai humko padakar?”- Meena . “Khushi.”- Aru I had my doubts about this space. Unsure about my own skills, I also knew what it was to work with transient populations. Plus, why would kids or their parents encourage their kids to take out some time for something as ‘unimportant’ as art? There were days when I would wait, having prepared a fun activity, and no one would turn up. OR there would be days when I would be unable to control the class due to the huge language barrier. But as time passed, things just began falling into place. Their interest and excitement began to grow and they would be waiting eagerly for class, some days coaxing me into having longer classes, or adding more days to our already packed schedules!

“Can you do another exhibition and sell our drawings? Can we call our school friends?”- Mahdia In December last year, during the Khirkee Festival, I witnessed what our artistic interactions had done for the girls. From curating and setting up their gallery space, to inviting their friends and family, and making sure their families were involved in being part of the festival – they did it all. Their sense of ownership, compassion and confidence had grown exponentially. They were excited to showoff their creations, their narratives of what the months spent in our art class meant for them.

Sharing stories about outer space and astronauts

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lo c a l ta l e n t s

KHIRKEE VOICE • Autumn Edition 2018

An Aspiring Writers Poetic Ventures Leeda Ferozy, originally from Afghanistan, has been living in

Khirkee Extension for the past three years. Also a participant in our writing and photography workshops, Leeda is an avid reader, and has been writing poetry in a mixture of Urdu, Persian (Dari) & Hindi, since she was just 13 years old. She has seen the beauty of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India and derives her inspiration from these places she has called home. She admires poets like Mirza, Ahmad Faraz & Iqbal. On Sundays, Leeda teaches kids and parents within her community about Early Childhood Development and the challenges that kids face when very young. She likes to write about love, beauty, spirituality & the human condition.

Leeda at one of her favourite spots in Khirkee Extension

Translation- Mahavir Singh Bisht

nor one would worship beauty, neither they would be scared of hell nor they would be greedy for heaven, neither sin would hide only if your love for God is true.

• If the intentions of people were visible Imagine the catastrophe it would bring people who make false promises they will be insulted If they claim to love We could see if they are infidels they will be sold in broad daylight who have evil in their hearts the rich won’t hide their frailty they won’t hide misery in smiles

• The love for you is still there The desire to see you the closeness with you to own you the desire is till there. the love for you

is still there the act of thinking of you the sound of your steps the shyness in your eyes the faith in your heart your fragrance is still there the heart is lonely the distance between us the madness of love the intoxication and pride Is still there the love for you is still there.

• They boast of their beauty I die & curl on their flesh.. but they do not know... the attraction between us is the yearing of souls - not the desire of flesh they boast of their beauty I’m certain

you may find thousands of others they will keep your flesh and throw the soul away.

• The world is lost in the intoxication of love, As if the world will not run without it.

The memories of the lover are like the mother longing for her separated child.

A weird dilemma is engulfing the world, as if, the sky is a guest to the earth.

Only God knows, what’s the matter with people some ask for a lover in their prayers some are asking for forgiveness for their sins •

I run amok door-to-door I have no home they call me a migrant as if they own the world I have no hunger or greed - for money I have no hope or thirst - for glory I only need a roof to sleep peacefully I only need a home to live happily

• People say that time heals all the wounds but , I’m surprised that time has passed but nothing has healed or maybe people were lying

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Fly in for the Breathless Mountain Views Stay for the Misty Winter Haze ...

Layout design by Malini Kochupillai

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Edited by Malini Kochupillai & Mahavir Singh Bisht [khirkeevoice@gmail.com]

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original photograph: chandan gomes, digital collage: malini kochupillai

Unbelievable Delh!

Supported & Published by KHOJ International Artists Association