NEW DELHI: The fight was deliciously worth it. As 28-year-old photographer Monica Tiwari lumbered into the thick of danger, into the Sundarbans, the possibility of being massacred at the hands of a savage Bengal tiger, froze her senses several times.
Succumbing to her fear would be a defeat that she wouldn’t be able to swallow, so she marched fearlessly into the depths of tidal halophytic mangrove forests, to achieve what she had come for—to document the lifestyle changes in children of migrant parents in the area in the context of global warming.
Many had re-located in search of work because of perennial flooding and crop failures.
Using the lens of her camera, she zoomed into their struggles with health, education and social-well-being.
The Sundarbans are continuously changing geologically. In addition to the much-talked about erosion, the increasing human habitation and consequent activities, in addition to ships and ports, and salt water flooding is making matters worse. “Inhabitants rely on agriculture and fishing.
But a farm flooded with salt water is not usable for the next two or three years. Several farmers, having lost their own lands start working as daily wagers. And often when that fails too, they migrate, leaving behind their children.”
In mid-September last year, she traversed from Nandkumarpur to Herambugopalpur to finally the island of K-plot in and around the Sundarbans where she based her work. The first day, she says, was a losing battle to mosquitoes. But the greater tragedy lied in its estranged children.
“They have been left behind with the hope that their education will be consistent, they will be taken care of physically and emotionally, and will have three meals a day. However, for the most part, the standard of education in is pitiable and the rest is not secured either,” she says, adding, “Children often do not understand the complex emotions of depression, loneliness, or missing someone. Doesn’t mean they don’t feel them. Many of them kept a tiny stamp sized photos of their parents to see them when not in the best mood.”
On the other hand, there were children who had begun to feel disconnected with their parents. “Parents were more like guests for them,” she says.
Since cyclone Aila in May 2009, the number of migrants has outnumbered the people who’ve stayed back. In fact, in her research, she didn't find a single neighbourhood where at least one youth from each family hadn’t migrated. Deciding to document it all was the best decision she took. “We tend to believe what we see, immediately making visuals a potent medium of communication," she shares.
Hoping one day, these children will be re-united with their parents to be able to live fulfilled and complete lives, a basic right they are being deprived of right now.