This Independence Day, i.e. 15th August 2013, I went to visit some children from a deaf & mute school. Ostensibly to see what independence meant for them, but the truth was I had always wanted to visit this place. While living in Udaipur, I would pass by this school often while going to my own, noting with a tinge of envy these children, my age, running around, having fun, while I had to get to my dreaded classroom. I was envious of their freedom, but also of their trademark magenta and orange uniform, which was a lot more exciting than my drab gray and white.
Almost fifteen years later, here I was, apprehensive about how they or the authorities would take to a photographer. The evening before independence day, I went to the school, which also houses a hostel for boys, and saw they were all getting ready for the next day. Some were standing in line to get a haircut. Others were playing cricket in the courtyard. All around me I saw life passing by. They were overjoyed to see a camera, let alone be photographed. And what extraordinary children! I showed them my camera which had a waist-level finder. They quickly pointed out, in their sign language, that the images looked inverted. It may not sound impressive but most people fail to figure that out. Even I took a while.
I reached the next morning, took some shots of the children preparing for the parade, and it was over very soon. But then, a few boys invited me to come play cricket with them, after a brief stopover at their house. I went to their house, which was basically a couple of rooms on rent. In order to support themselves, the students go to work after school. Fom 6pm to 9pm every day, they work at various places: homeopathy clinics, biriyani hotels, printing presses etc. A work in progress.
