The deluge and after: A photo exhibition on the lives and struggles of people in the aftermath of the floods in Karnataka

THE IDEA BEHIND

‘THE DELUGE AND AFTER’

 

As if the grinding poverty in North Karnataka was not enough, the people there were caught in the most harrowing floods in this part of the Indian earth. Within a day, 5000 villages in 12 districts were inundated and 227 people were washed away to their deaths.

THE DELUGE AND AFTER is a homage to them and millions of others who survived the floods but are dying to find a way to rebuild their lives in the midst of only a minimal support from the state. As always, it is the landless and marginal farmers, children and women, especially from dalit families who have been impacted the most. Houses have collapsed, belongings have been destroyed and agricultural fields which have been their only source of life for generations have become uncultivable. With the floods, the drudgery of our sisters and brothers in the North has only become more dismal. 

The pictures in the exhibition were captured over three months in five worst affected districts and chronicle the lives of the traditionally marginalized people and how they are facing up to a multitude of new challenges brought in by the untimely floods. Neglect in relief and rehabilitation have led to lives being lost even after the waters receded.  If saving lives and regenerating livelihoods are the objectives there is precious little time to be lost.

THE DELUGE AND AFTER comes a full 100 days after the unfortunate disaster to showcase the continued neglect towards the flood victims and to force a responsive action from the state.

Time: 10AM to 5PM,

Date: 7th to 9th January 2010

Venue: Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan, Race Course Road, Bengaluru.

Please come. Let’s join hands in solidarity for the flood victims and to effectuate a positive state response.
 

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Esha is an activist engaged in modern visual art on development issues for many years. He recently co-directed “Destructive Creation – portraits of people who are giving way for a new Bangalore” which was a pictorial argumentation against the iniquitous and often destructive priorities inherent in the making of the ‘modern cities of India’. He is the co-founder of Ant’s Eye View’, a media center that works on improving the social content in mainstream media in the country. Esha is a fellowship holder of ActionAid.