Bazaar: Calendar and Posters in Chandni Chowk
Director: Madhusree Dutta; Cinematographer: Avijit Mukul Kishore
Duration: 00:23:08; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 19.789; Saturation: 0.068; Lightness: 0.382; Volume: 0.135; Cuts per Minute: 61.213; Words per Minute: 0.302
Summary: Chandni Chowk market in old Delhi, built by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan in 1650, is a large and multi-layered bazaar. The bazaar is divided into areas according to the merchandise - Kinari Bazaar, Nai sarak, Chawri bazaar, Tilak bazaar, Flea market etc. The Chawri bazaar is famous for its stationery market. An important part of that wholesale calendar market.
Adding more colour to Chandni Chowk's psychedelic landscape is the calendar bazaar. The calendars mainly consist of oleographs - bearing pictures of Gods and Goddesses and pictorial depictions of the Indian Epics. Raja Ravi Varma, an aristocrat from Travancore was a celebrated artist. He was responsible for almost single-handedly creating a revolution in modern Indian aesthetics with the establishment of the Ravi Varma Press. His paintings of Gods and Goddesses, epic heroes and heroines, practically defined the new pan-Indian iconography. The prints became the most influential medium of visual communication in what was then a socially and culturally fragmented Indian society. Using German printers and high-speed steam driven presses, Ravi Varma published millions of copies of these famous paintings as well as other religious icons. This school of art eventually grew into a large industry called calendar art.
The pictures in calendars, which are used to advertise goods and services doubled up as icons for political propaganda, where heroes, Gods, and national leaders merged into each other. This kitschy, hybrid form of calendar art is massively popular among the people and it will not be surprising to find every Indian household with one of these prints, in some form or the other, in their possession. In fact, most Indians perceive their Gods and Goddesses to be exactly like the ones seen in these images, so popular are they. And it is not just the Hindu Gods and Goddesses that find a place in these calendars. Islamic scriptures, Christian motifs - like the crucified Christ, or Mother Mary with the infant Jesus are also seen quite often. The ideal, the beautiful and the revered all find a place in the calendars that hang in this dingy wholesale shop. Bollywood stars, enjoy their Demi-God status next to the Lord Krishna and Goddess Laxmi, smiling divinely from the paper calendars, stacked atop each other in the crowded by-lanes of Chandni Chowk. In the month of December the bazaar is at its peak in preparation for the New Year. Shopkeepers, small traders, commercial establishments are seen choosing designs for the complimentary calendars for 2002.
Iconography has a special place in the Indian social landscape. There are always popular reproductions of gods, religious motif, film stars, political leaders, sportsmen in various sizes, forms and formats available for popular consumption. It is most visible in the public places in the form of a phenomena popularly called as 'postering'. This event was shot as part of the study of Indian visual culture in the streets, bazaar, homes and shrines. Shot by Avijit Mukul Kishore.
Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi
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The shop-keeper shows a calendar bearing the design of an idyllic village. The camera tilts up to reveal more calendars hung from the blue ceiling, most of them bearing images of a Hindu God or Goddess. It looks a tad surreal, with the Divine images hovering in the mid-air. Commonly found images of the Taj Mahal, mountain scenery, poster-cute children adorn the blue tube-lit room as well. The shopkeeper filmed at a low angle, flips through sample designs of several avatars of the Goddess Laxmi (the Indian Goddess of wealth). The scene ideally depicts the multiplicity of Indian culture through various representation of Laxmi..
The baby Lord Krishna, Radha-Krishna, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Balaji, Sai Baba (a revered saint) - all make their appearance one after the other. Most Indian households are very likely to have at least one of these.
2002
bazaar
calendar art
chandni chowk
delhi
guru nanak
icon
iconography
indian
gods and
godesses
krishna
landscape
new year
oleograph
posters
prints
radha
saibaba
taj mahal
wholesale market
ephemera
Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi
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The picturesque blue mountains with winter snow, blue mountain with spring flowers, Guru Nanak, Saibaba, Gateway of India, imaginary landscape lit by a yellow moon... the images roll down into the frame as the camera tilts up on a display hanging on a wall. These are desk calendars for the year 2002 catering to the demand for corporate gifts and complimentary items.
bazaar
calendar art
chandni chowk
complimentary
desk
display
gifts
icon
image
india
landscape
old delhi
representation
wholesale
A man flips through an assortment of colourful images of Gods and Goddesses, assigning the number of copies to be made of each of the images. These are designed for one page wall calendar where all the 12 months are printed on the same page. A passing glance might just lead you to believe that the Gods and Goddesses are suddenly up for sale in the open street. Islamic scriptures, Christian motifs too keep the Hindu icons company. The collection looks like a wonderful resource for a study of iconography.
The usual suspects - prints of landscapes and Bollywood stars also make their special appearance in the end. In some sense the Bollywood stars are part of the landscape of India.
Chandni Chowk, Old delhi
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bazaar
bollywood
calendar art
chandni chowk
christian
hindu
icon
iconography
image
indian
gods and
godesses
islamic
kitsch
landscape
motif
muslim
old delhi
paintings
popular
culture
posters
religious
representation
scriptires
Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi
The narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk are bursting with life. The camera tracks through the two streams of vehicles from the opposite side. The snail speed of the traffic makes the hand held camera faster than the rest. The hand pulled carts, the bicycles, the scooters, the cycle rickshaw carry their goods and passengers exposed to the general view. As a result the scene looks more like a procession of people and goods rather than a traffic movement. It almost looks as if they are in some sort of choreographed musical comprised of a buzzing urban din, bicycle bells, and motor honkings. Watching over them, almost like the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby are the eyes of filmstar Aishwarya Rai. Following her gaze are the Gods from their calendared existence. The camera stares back at the serene eyed beauty as the frenzied crowds bustle past.
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aishwarya rai
bazaar
bicycle
bollywood
calendar art
chandni chowk
chaos
cityscape
cycle
filmstar
goods
indian
gods and
godesses
kitsch
paintings
popular
culture
posters
rickshaw
old delhi
street
surreal
traffic
traffic crowd
vehicles
Delhi, India
The camera mutely observes just another regular day unfold on the streets of old Delhi. Cars, buses, auto-rickshaws, trains, pedestrians - all whiz by a clockwork fashion as the sun dazzles overhead. Labourers with heavy loads on their heads walk under the shadows of bridge. A cart carrying colourful tinsel complements the cluster of tinsel town posters stuck on the bridge. The screen is divided into two sections - the bustling streets beneath the bridge and the rhythmic movement of the train above the bridge. The parallel motions in opposite directions give the shot a dynamic look, mirroring the palpable energy of the city streets.
automobile
chandni chowk
cityscape
india
labourer
movement
old delhi
pedestrian
posters
public transport
railway
bridge
traffic
train
vehicles
Closer shot of the old film posters on the brick wall of the bridge. The popular flick of the year 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gum' (Sometimes happiness sometimes sorrow) is advertised through multiple posters. The cluster of superstars displays the virtue of family unity. This was the time when Indian popular cinema took a very regressive turn from crime thrillers and vendetta movies to upper class family sagas. The static camera watches the mid morning traffic of people and goods flow while a long distance train on top of the bridge waits for signal clearance to enter old Delhi station.
Delhi, India
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advertising
bollywood
brick wall
bridge
culture
family
films
flicks
hegemony
kabhi khushi kabhi gum
narrative
old delhi
old delhi station
popular
posters
public place
saga
superstar
traffic
train
Delhi, India
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Pan shots of the posters of Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sorrow). Public places in India always adorn some iconography or other. Icons range from film stars, to political leaders to gods to spiritual guru to a multinational commodity such as Reebok. Often the public place posters and wall writings offer a better understanding of the socio-cultural structure of the place than anything else.
Several other movie posters nudge their way into the crowded walls, but seem to be totally overpowered by the star studded KG3 (as the 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gum' was popularly called).
The wall literally serves as a backdrop for the urban streetscape in front of the camera. Cars and buses, rickshaws and cycles enter and exit the set stage as it were, rapidly, continuously. The dark cavity under the bridge, serves as the wings from where the myriad actors make their quick appearances and disappearances
Two similar looking buses make their dual appearances from underneath the bridge. The camera trails off into the backstage - makes its way into the darkened corridors of the bridge. The other side of the bridge is framed by the walls, and looks like a giant movie screen.
brick wall
bridge
cityscape
cut out
film stars
goods
hegemony
icon
india
kabhi khushi kabhi gum
kg3
movement
old delhi
pedestrians
political leders
popular culture
poster
public place
street
traffic
urban
vehicles
wall writing
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