Tag: Coronavirus | Varta Trust

Vartanama Jul '23

Tensions of the past and future

By Pawan Dhall

An imperfect digest of ‘Varta’ webzine’s journey through a decade of climaxes, anti-climaxes, and explorations for a social G-spot

Insight, Policy Matters Sep '22

Challenges in meeting queer community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic

By Susanta Pramanik, Jia Mata, Pawan Dhall

Excerpts from an analysis of the role played by community based organizations in working with queer people in India during the COVID-19 crisis and the challenges faced by the organizations

This is a group photograph taken at the end of an event organized at Deshaj Café and Store on June 4, 2022 to mark the completion of 100 monthly issues of ‘Varta’ webzine in April 2022. The photograph shows 13 individuals standing or sitting in three rows, smiling and facing the camera. The individuals include Varta Trustees, members, staff members, and well-wishers, representing a mix of different genders and sexualities. In the background can be seen the café’s book racks, wall hangings and a wall-mounted television set. In the forefront, to the right edge of the photograph, a few pieces of the cake cut on the occasion can be seen kept on a side table. Photo credit: Swati Das

Happenings, Insight Aug '22

Words and art from the heart

By Swati Das

A round-up of events organized to mark 100 monthly issues of ‘Varta’ webzine by Swati Das

This main photograph is a daytime close-up shot of two large leaves growing on the forest floor at the Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary in Narendrapur, a southern suburb of Kolkata city. Both leaves show gradual signs of decay and one of them is nearly half withered away. The leaves are surrounded by a variety of other foliage, twigs and dried leaves. The decaying of the leaves signifies not just the end but also the cycle of life and rejuvenation. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Vartanama Dec '21

Hope . . . and doubt . . . spring eternal

By Pawan Dhall

A year-end piece on pain and rejuvenation, hope and uncertainty by Pawan Dhall

This is a horizontal multi-coloured graphic with a bold black headline that reads "Varta Economic Inclusion Mentoring Forum". Underneath the headline, a series of three iconic visuals with accompanying text briefly describe the objectives of the forum – mentoring queer people from eastern and north-eastern India; connecting them with a team of social workers and field experts; and offering new opportunities for skills building and livelihood. The leftmost visual is of a closed fist emerging from a rainbow, symbolizing solidarity. The visual in the middle is a sign of networking among three people, and the visual on the extreme right is of two hands joined in unity and support. Artwork credit: Arkadeepra Purkayastha

Policy Matters, Vartanama Sep '21

Skills, jobs and freedoms

By Debjyoti Ghosh

Debjyoti Ghosh reflects on the learning so far from Varta’s fledgling economic inclusion mentoring forum

The graphic shows a multi-coloured word cloud formed with key terms and expressions used in the accompanying article. For example: Mental health, disability, caregiving, autism, coronavirus, pandemic, anxiety, panic attack, counselling, support group, stress and so on. The word cloud does not form any particular shape or does not carry any particular symbolism. It is contained in a rectangle with a deep blue background that helps the words stand out. Graphic credit: Pawan Dhall

Happenings Jun '21

Stress management for caregivers during COVID-19 pandemic

By Amrita Chanda

Amrita Chanda reports on a recent online interaction on the mental health needs of the caregivers of persons with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Quote: I have more than 20 years of experience as a transgender social worker in West Bengal. It was a different matter that there was no match between my work area or experience and the openings available in the job fair. But it was disappointing to realize that the vast majority of my community members would probably never even come close to availing these opportunities.

Coronavirus Diary, Insight Jun '21

Something unfair about job fairs

By Sudipa Chakraborty

Job fairs for queer aspirants in India need a rethink, says Sudipa Chakraborty

This daytime photograph shows a small cactus planted in an earthen pot placed on a window ledge at the author’s home. The cactus was planted and looked after by Lakhi Bibi, who used to work as a cook and attendant at the author’s home and passed away recently because of COVID-19 infection. The plant is symbolic of Lakhi Bibi’s character, as sturdy and toughened up as the cactus by the countless challenges life threw at her. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Insight, Vartanama May '21

Homecoming during a pandemic

By Pawan Dhall

Pawan Dhall shares life-changing moments from the COVID-19 pandemic. Trigger warning // Hospital descriptions, death

This illustration is a combination of a photograph and a quote from the accompanying article. To the left is a day-time medium shot of S. Lipsa Rao, a transgender woman from Odisha, who is the central character in the article. Lipsa is in a pensive mood. She is dressed in a deep blue kurta and white pyjamas, with a small bindi on her forehead and her hair tied back in a ponytail. She leans on to a low wall that forms the boundary of an open space outside her home. Her face rests on her right hand, and her right elbow is placed on the ledge of the wall. Her gaze is away from the camera, to the right side. The ledge, low wall and a wall behind her are all painted white. Behind her is a glimpse of a door. The accompanying quote says: “In November last year Lipsa had a lucky break when she managed a job as office support staff in the Jatni Municipality. This brought financial stability to her life. But she feels little reason to rejoice. She worries about the fate of her friends who have not had the same educational opportunities as she has had. In the current circumstances, not just jobs in an office are out of their reach – even their traditional livelihoods are being lost.” Photo courtesy: S. Lipsa Rao

Coronavirus Diary, Policy Matters May '21

Pandemic impact on a loop?

By Pradosh Dash

What has changed for the transgender women in Odisha since the COVID-19 pandemic led to the crippling lockdowns of 2020? Pradosh Dash spoke to S. Lipsa Rao, a transgender community...

This photograph is symbolic of the subject matter of the article. It shows a somewhat dispiriting aerial view of Kolkata city at dusk time. The photograph has been taken from the rooftop of a city high rise. The right hand side of the photograph has the setting sun, and the sky is filled with an overpowering haze of dust. The sprawling city below is a mix of buildings, some of them high-rises in the horizon, and some trees as well, but there is little to cheer about the scene. In the forefront, from the point where the photograph was shot, is a rooftop security rail made of a steel netlike structure that cuts through the left and lower parts of the photograph. The security rail seems to jag through the photograph, creating an impression of dissonance. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Vartanama Apr '21

Against gratitude

By Sayan Bhattacharya

Sayan Bhattacharya questions the normalization of inequity all around us – something we must not give up on if humanity has to continue breathing

Coronavirus Diary, Insight, Vartanama Mar '21

**‘Bengal Trans* & Queer Charter of Demands’ released**

By Chand

West Bengal’s trans* and queer communities are formulating a policy and political participation advocacy plan. Chand takes us through the first step taken recently

This is a panel made up of three photographs that show different scenes from the Dol Jatra event organized by Nadia Ranaghat Sampriti Society at the Kalyani Central Park on March 21, 2021. Two of the photographs show Rabindra Nritya performances on a small open air stage screened on only the far side with flowing deep pink and white curtains. A colourful event banner is pinned on to the curtains. In one of the photographs, a medium shot shows five young girls performing and the camera has captured a moment where they are posed in a flower-like formation. In the second photograph, a long shot, there are six performers of mixed genders. All are positioned in a single file, with the foremost performer kneeling down in a dancing pose; each subsequent performer stands a little taller than the person before them. All six have their arms stretched out and are looking skywards. Both photographs were taken in the early evening hours. The third photograph is a close up shot of an earthen plate arrayed with ‘abir’ powder in different colours, flower petals, and a lit ‘diya’ in the centre. The plate is placed on a table covered with red cloth. Photo credits: Rafiquel Haque Dowjah (dance performances); Nadia Ranaghat Sampriti Society (plate of ‘abir’)

Coronavirus Diary, Happenings Mar '21

Dol Jatra colours to counter the pandemic blues

By Heena

Heena reports on a recent Dol Jatra event in Kalyani organized by queer support forum Nadia Ranaghat Sampriti Society

This evening-time photograph shows two children, a girl and a boy, studying on a Kolkata pavement (near the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine). Both children, no more than 10 years old, are bent over their exercise books, engrossed in writing something. The photographer stood behind them and took the shot from above so that their faces would not be visible (as desired by their mother, who is standing next to them, with only her saree-clad lower legs and feet visible). The children are seated on a tarpaulin spread on about half the width of the pavement. A number of objects can be seen around them – a pair of slippers, some utensils, a plastic water bottle, and some clothes. These indicate that the pavement is also their place of living. The source of light for the photograph is a lamp post to the right of the children and their mother. Their shadows and the light seem to have created an interesting pattern on tarpaulin and the pavement. Photo credit: Sudipa Chakraborty

Coronavirus Diary, Vartanama Feb '21

The gender of education, inclusion and exclusion

By Pawan Dhall, Shivalal Gautam, Sudipa Chakraborty

Pawan Dhall has some random thoughts on education, gender bias and socio-economic exclusion – with inputs from Shivalal Gautam and Sudipa Chakraborty. Trigger alert: Suicide

Quote: The webinar had participation from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It focused on country-wise sharing of what the law is, in the respective countries, regarding transgender identity acceptance; what aspects of the law disappoint, or create obstacles for transgender communities in realizing their rights; and how have governments and other stakeholders reached out to transgender communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Happenings, Insight, Policy Matters Feb '21

Transgender rights in South Asia: Trends, crises and opportunities

By Debjyoti Ghosh, Jia Mata, Pawan Dhall

Excerpts from the report of a recent webinar on transgender rights in South Asia organized by Partners for Law in Development and Varta Trust

This photograph, a night time shot, shows a brightly lit corner shop in the author’s neighbourhood in the Palm Avenue area of Kolkata. There are several colourful packets of food items and sports goods hanging at the shop entrance. More food items, an ice cream refrigerator and other goods can be seen inside the shop. The left side door has several posters of various products pasted on it. The walls around the entrance are full of graffiti. The light from the shop has also lit up the road outside the shop, presenting a cheerful picture amid surrounding darkness. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Vartanama Jan '21

Childhood ‘mudir dokan’ revisited

By Pawan Dhall

Yester-year stores for purchasing foodstuff and monthly provisions are making a comeback in the author’s retail therapy agenda

Quote: When it’s a well-known fact that transgender people in India have been historically marginalized, and are still marginalized socially and economically, despite gaining legal rights, how are such limited supplemental rations supposed to help them? The amounts provided would barely cover the carbohydrates required for one person over a week to a fortnight. The bigger question is why should transgender people receive lesser rations than other citizens of India!

Vartanama Dec '20

Theme for a dream in 2021

By Debjyoti Ghosh

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown new light on food (in)security for transgender persons, says Debjyoti Ghosh

Tagged Under: Coronavirus

Tensions of the past and future

Challenges in meeting queer community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Words and art from the heart

Hope . . . and doubt . . . spring eternal

Skills, jobs and freedoms

Stress management for caregivers during COVID-19 pandemic

Something unfair about job fairs

Homecoming during a pandemic

Pandemic impact on a loop?

Against gratitude

**‘Bengal Trans* & Queer Charter of Demands’ released**

Dol Jatra colours to counter the pandemic blues

The gender of education, inclusion and exclusion

Transgender rights in South Asia: Trends, crises and opportunities

Childhood ‘mudir dokan’ revisited

Theme for a dream in 2021

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