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In this archive story we are taking a photo walk in the Azad Maidan to meet city-dwellers in Mumbai, India.
Read the background story of this archive photo by the photographer. |
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An Indian boy is taking a break at a dweller area in the Azad Maidan in Mumbai, which is an area formerly known as 'Bombay Gymkhana Maidan'. This triangular-shaped maidan is a regular venue for inter-school cricket matches in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. 'Maidan' is a Persian word for a town square or public gathering place and it is located on 100,000 m2 of land near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus station. |
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Azad Maidan in Mumbai
As the photographer found out in India the name 'Azad' means 'Liberty' in Persian and as mentioned before the ground is known for its cricket pitches, for protest meetings and for political rallies. The Bombay Gymkhana clubhouse was built in 1875, at the southern end of the maidan.
What is a city-dweller?
A city person that has lived in the city limits their whole life and has never seen an ounce of rural life at all. These types of people usually think they better than a country person. |
City-dwellers in India
In India, a large number of people live in cities and towns and these city-dwellers make up a significant portion of the population and they are the backbone of the country's economy. These city-dwellers in India are generally well-educated and come from a variety of backgrounds. They are ambitious and strive to make the most out of their lives and they take advantage of the many opportunities that are available in cities, such as employment, education, entertainment and culture.
City-dwellers in India are known for their work ethic and dedication to their jobs. They usually work hard to make ends meet and to provide for their families and they are often the first to take on new challenges and they are willing to make sacrifices in order to reach their goals. City-dwellers in India also tend to be more socially conscious than those living in rural areas and they are often at the forefront of social movements and are quick to make their voices heard on issues of importance and they are also more likely to engage in activities that have a positive impact on their communities, such as volunteering, donating to charity and participating in protests and these dwellers in India face a number of challenges, however. The cost of living in cities is often high and many city-dwellers struggle to make ends meet.
There is also a lack of affordable housing, which can be a major issue for those who cannot afford to rent or buy. Despite the challenges, city-dwellers in India remain resilient and determined and they are the backbone of the country's economy and they are an important part of India's development.
"Maidans or public open spaces, are an integral part of Indian cities and towns and they are used as a gathering place for festivals, weddings, political meetings and sports activities. In India, maidans are often associated with the country's long history of political and religious protests and they have played an important role in the country's struggle for independence. Maidans have been present in India for centuries, but their importance has grown in recent years"
Increasingly important for people
As India has industrialized and urbanized, public open spaces have become increasingly important for people to gather and express their opinions and the presence of maidans in cities and towns has helped to create a sense of community, while providing a platform to organize protests and rallies. Many cities and towns in India also have their own maidans, which are used for a variety of activities for instance, for cricket matches. In addition to being used for political and cultural activities, maidans can also serve as public parks, providing a place for people to relax and enjoy the outdoors. These public open spaces are an important part of urban India and they have played a crucial role in the country's history and they are a symbol of India's struggle for independence and a reminder of its rich culture and heritage. Maidans continue to be used as a platform for political protest and a place for people to come together and celebrate.
Azad Maidan Riots in Mumbai
'Azad Maidan Riots' in Mumbai was initially a protest by Indian muslims, organized in Azad Maidan on August 11, 2012 to condemn the 'Rakhine Riots' and 'Assam Riots', which later turned into a riot. The riot is now included in the Azad Maidan history and the riot reportedly began as the crowd got angry either after hearing an inflammatory speech or after seeing photographs of Assam violence and Rakhine state riots. The riot result ed in two deaths and injuries to 54 people including 45 policemen. The indigenous 'Bodo community' of Assam alleged that the Muslim population is increasing in Assam due to the large influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, while the local Muslim community brushed it aside saying that they migrated to Assam during the British Raj.
Increasing population
But, with the increasing population, there arose competition for lands, livelihood and power, which led to Assam agitation. Both the indigenous people of Assam and Bengali Muslims felt that the Central Government failed to protect both sides. But also been used for farmer protests one year ago, where thousands of farmers were demanding compensation for drought and transfer of forest rights to tribals. The farmers were demanding implementation of the 'Swaminathan Committee report', which suggested that farmers must have assured access and control over resources such as land and water and they are also demanding an increase in the minimum support price and a judicial system to ensure its implementation. The farmers, struggling to cope with the agrarian crisis, are demanding proper implementation of the loan waiver package announced by the Indian government in the state last year, land right.
City-dwellers in the maidan
The city-dwellers photographed for this archive story are are spending much of theri time in the Azad Maidan and they either come here by foot or by wheel on roads and walkways or use special rapid transit systems based on underground, overground and elevated rail. Cities also rely on long-distance transportation by either truck, rail and airplane for economic connections with other cities and rural areas.
"These dwellers and historically, city-dwellers have been a small proportion of humanity overall, but following two centuries of unprecedented and rapid urbanization, roughly half of the world population now lives in cities such as Mumbai, which has had profound consequences for global sustainability. Present-day cities usually form the core of larger metropolitan areas and urban areas and are creating numerous commuters traveling towards city centers for employment, entertainment and edification"
See this video about Azad Maidan in Mumbai made by Times Of India.
A popular recreation ground
Near by the Oval Maidan is located, which is a large recreational ground situated in South Mumbai, India. It is so named because of its oval shape and is situated just south of Churchgate and it is a popular recreation ground, with the most popular sports played there being cricket and football and the ground measures 100,000 m2 in area and here political rallies and religious functions are banned in the maidan. Until the late 20th century the ground was owned and run by the state government and was very poorly maintained and it was frequented by beggars, prostitutes and drug peddlers.
Fort area of Mumbai
The maidan where this archive story is portraying its story, is located in the Fort area, which is a business district in Mumbai, India. The area gets its name from the defensive fort, Fort George, built by the British East India Company around Bombay Castle. The area extends from the docks in the east, to Azad Maidan in the west, Victoria Terminus in the north to Kala Ghoda in the south. Fort is the heart of the financial area of the city and many British era structures are located here and the Fort area was declared protected under regulations of the Maharashtra Government Urban Development Department and an advisory committee now oversees the development, repairs and renovations of structures in the precinct.
Read also: Mumbai street child
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India is a land full of stories. On every street, on every corner and in the many places in India, life is rushing by you as a photographer with millions of stories to be told. In the archive story above, you hopefully had a readable insight in the story that was behind the photo of an Indian boy in Mumbai. On this website of Kristian Bertel | Photography you can find numerous travel pictures from the photographer. Stories and moments that tell the travel stories of how the photographer captured the specific scene that you see in the picture. The photographer's images have a story behind them, images that all are taken from around India throughout his photo journeys. The archive stories delve into Kristian's personal archive to reveal never-before-seen, including portraits and landscapes beautifully produced snapshots from various travel assignments. The archive is so-far organized into photo stories, this one included, each brought to life by narrative text and full-color photos. Together, these fascinating stories tell a story about the life in India. India, the motherland to many people around the world, a land of unforgetable travel moments. The archive takes viewers on a spectacular visual journey through some of the most stunning photographs to be found in the photographer's archive collection. The photographer culled the images to reflect the many variations on the universal theme of beauty and everyday life in India. By adding these back stories the photographer's work might immensely enhanced the understanding of the photographs.
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