Civil society: the biggest pillar of democracy
A photo essay that uses archival photographs to narrate the collective efforts of people across India in the post-independence era, in fights for dignity, constitutional values, human rights, and a more humane society.
The state in India tends to claim the vanguard’s role in facilitating radical social change through legal and administrative means. However, it is often the various oppressed social groups, fighting for their rights, that have demonstrated to the state, and the society at large, that there is nothing sectional about fighting for one’s rights. That the struggles for the rights of each one of us, are about ensuring the rights of every one of us. In this photo essay, we try and tell the story of the India of a million mutinies, where claiming one’s human and constitutional rights often becomes a revolutionary act. The archival images of this piece narrate many collective efforts of people across India in the post-independence era, in fights for not only rights, but also for dignity and constitutional values, and for realizing the vision of a more humane society.
Bhoodan Movement
Place unknown, 195; Vinoba Bhave;
photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org
Dalit Rights Movement
Delhi, 1955; Dr. B. R. Ambedkar;
photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org
Self-Respect Movement
Rangoon, 1955; E. V. Ramasamy with B. R. Ambedkar;
photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org
Chipko Movement
Uttarakhand, 1973;
photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org
Trade Unions
Mumbai, 2004;
photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org/Soman
Popular Science Movement
Place unknown, 2009;
photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org/Neon
‘India Against Corruption’ Protest
Delhi, 2011;
photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org/HemantBanswal
Queer Rights Movement
Bengaluru, 2009; Bengaluru Pride March;
photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org/VinayakDas
Women’s Rights Protest
Delhi, 2012; photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org/NilanjanaRoy
Disability Rights Movement
Delhi, 2015;
photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org/MinistryofSocialJusticeandEmpowerment
Narmada Bachao Andolan: Fighting for the Rights of the Displaced
Nandurbar District, Maharashtra, 2017;
photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org/Nnnamaharashtra
Farmers’ Protests
Delhi, 2020;
photo credit—commons.wikimedia.org/RandeepMaddoke
