Tag: Photography | Varta Trust

Quote: The value of oral histories is especially significant for socially marginalized communities whose stories are often silenced, distorted, or wiped out by the dominant groups. The very act of remembering and narrating can be seen as an act of defiance against silencing. We need to do more and more of oral histories – narrate, record, disseminate, and even re-narrate our stories far and wide. When a story becomes like a living organism, the task of silencing becomes more difficult for those who want only one narrative to survive.

Vartanama Mar '25

Memory works

By Pawan Dhall

Pawan Dhall on the many hues of remembering – personal, political, accepting imperfections and more

Happenings, Vartanama Jun '24

Celebrating the magic of friendship

By Pritha Bhattacharya, Sambrita Chakraborty

Pritha Bhattacharya and Sambrita Chakraborty report on an art exhibition to mark the 25th anniversary of ‘Friendship Walk ‘99’, India’s first rainbow pride walk held in Kolkata on July 2,...

This photograph is a dusk-time extreme close-up shot of a small weed growing on the forest floor. The plant has tiny white flowers and equally small spiked and green leaves. The plant is growing out of dry, gravelly soil, which is grey-brown in colour. The photograph captures the plant and the soil particles in great detail – they stand out in relief against a blurred background. The photograph is a scan of the original print stored in the personal album of the author of the accompanying article. Photo courtesy Pawan Dhall

Travel Travel, Vartanama Mar '23

Tryst with a forest

By Pawan Dhall

Pawan Dhall on being lost in a forest, whether made of shrubs and trees or ideas and words

This daytime photograph shows the author posing for the camera with a ‘Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk’ flag somewhere on Park Street. The major part of the route for the ‘19th Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk’ was through Park Street. The author is holding the flag unfurled with both hands. Dressed in a full sleeve shirt, trousers and walking shoes, she has a bright smile on her face. A photography camera case hangs from her shoulder. She is standing on a tiled pavement that stretches empty behind her. A few people can be seen at the far end of the pavement, next to a small kiosk selling foodstuff and cigarettes. A large tree looms behind the author adding to the cheer on the author’s face. A quote accompanying the photograph says: “Even a year ago, I would worry that if I participated in a pride march, people would come to know about my sexuality. What would my family say? Would my school and college friends judge me? In fact, I had decided that if I ever joined a pride march, I would mask my face. Today I have no such worry or fear. For the first time in my life, I have come to know many queer persons, mostly in the year gone by. This has given me strength. I no longer feel lonely. It doesn’t matter anymore to me what people would say, and I thoroughly enjoyed my first pride march.” Photo credit: Hiya

Clickhappy! Dec '22

Kolkata pride walk through the eyes of a first-timer

By Swati Das

Swati Das shares her excitement of walking in a queer pride march for the very first time

This photograph is an evening-time mid shot that shows Zoom Tea-O-Graphy owner Shankhadeep Mitra and chef Rupam standing next to each other on the pavement outside their café. They are facing the camera, dressed in smart casuals, and have bright smiles on their faces. Right behind them is the brightly-lit glass façade of the café, interspersed with a wall pillar. The pillar is covered with the painting of a tree winding its way up to the Zoom Tea-O-Graphy signage. The signage is an iconic presentation in bright red of a cup of tea placed inside a frame that resembles a camera, with the word ZOOM in all capitals placed at the base of the camera. All around the signage is the wall painting of the tree with its branches, green leaves, and birds flitting around on the branches. A few decorative lights can be seen hanging above and around the signage. Just behind Shankhadeep and Rupam is a row of low stools for those who want to sit out in the open. Behind Rupam are three steps leading to the glass door of the cafe. In the background, the cheerful interiors of the café in shades of peach, red and brown are visible through the glass front of the café. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Thought for Food Aug '22

Where ‘adda’ and photography keep the tea pot boiling

By Jia Mata

Jia Mata recommends some 'cha', 'chhobi' and 'charcha' at café Zoom Tea-O-Graphy, which is bubbling with possibilities in its third year

This lead photograph is a daytime medium shot of a life saving tube placed in a vertical position on the deck of a tourist launch. The deep orange coloured tube is slotted in place along an iron railing, for easy access if there is an emergency. The placement of the tube is such that it has cast a shadow of itself on the floor board below, and the tube and its shadow together appear to form the figure eight, which is the central theme of the accompanying article. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Clickhappy!, Vartanama Jul '21

All things eight

By Pawan Dhall

Snapshots of eights around us, as ‘Varta’ webzine completes eight years on August 1, 2021

Creations, Insight Dec '20

Ephemera, archiving and accessibility

By Subhradeep Chatterjee

Subhradeep Chatterjee on his labour of love, the ‘Ephemeriad Project – Archiving Temporality’

Creations, Insight, Travel Travel Oct '18

Many intimacies, many improvisations

By Marc Ohrem-Leclef

Marc Ohrem-Leclef’s 'Jugaad – Of Intimacy and Love' is a visual arts portrayal of male-to-male intimacy

This photograph captures a boisterously happy moment from the ‘Kolkata Rainbow Carnival 2018’. A woman exults in joy as she picks up another woman in her arms, quite clearly heavier than herself. The second woman is also all laughter and pumps her fist in the air at the success of her friend. A crowd of people around the two women also laughs and cheers, as a number of photographers mill around to capture the moment. The woman doing the lifting is dressed in a ‘kurta’, has short cropped hair and tops in her ears. The woman being lifted is dressed in a colourful saree and ‘bindi’. The carnival was organized by the West Bengal Forum for Gender and Sexual Minority Rights on February 18, 2018 at Triangular Park in South Kolkata. Photo credit: Nazia Khan

Clickhappy!, Insight Mar '18

Queer cheer at rainbow carnival in Kolkata

By Nazia Khan

Nazia Khan was busy shooting moods and moments at the recent ‘Kolkata Rainbow Carnival 2018’. The fair was organized by the West Bengal Forum for Gender and Sexual Minority Rights...

Tagged Under: Photography

Memory works

Celebrating the magic of friendship

Tryst with a forest

Kolkata pride walk through the eyes of a first-timer

Where ‘adda’ and photography keep the tea pot boiling

All things eight

Ephemera, archiving and accessibility

Many intimacies, many improvisations

Queer cheer at rainbow carnival in Kolkata

Queer Friendly Resources

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