VILLUPURAM: Karkee and Marayi (name changed) got married six years ago. Breaking away from the usual ceremonial loudness, Karkee and Marayi’s wedding was a silent affair. The alignment of their hearts had not translated into an alliance between their families, caste had managed to drown out the wedding bells. At such a juncture, when the inter-caste couple was attempting to mount their own wedding ceremony on a shoestring budget, Ravishankar presented them with an entire photo album, saving them about Rs 50,000.
“Societal approval plays a pivotal role in marriages. Consequently, in India, inter-caste couples face a plethora of unique challenges. We must not only overcome personal struggles but also strive to bridge the gap between our respective communities. Ravishankar’s offer of free and discounted wedding photography saved us up to Rs 50,000 on our wedding expenses,” Karkee tells TNIE.
In an era of fancy, opulent pre-wedding shoots, Karkee and Marayi’s wedding ceremony had been a rather modest one, but for Ravishankar, the owner of Chennai-based Oliyan Photography, their first portrait as husband and wife was nothing short of a historical event. Their wedding album, unconcerned with opulence, proved to be magnanimous in its intent, he says.
The 33-year-old hailing from Villupuram, began his photographer stint in 2012. Initially, Ravishankar’s work fell in line and was quite run-of-the-mill. He photographed weddings as any other photographer would. Although, in the coming years, as he continued attending weddings, it would dawn on Ravishankar, the politics of endogamous alliance and the peculiar photographic gait of same-caste love marriages.
These images subsequently brought him to an understanding of inter-caste couples and the many struggles they are forced to encounter. They are also in love, they probably embody love in its truest form, but why aren’t their relationships termed as such? he would think.
It was this very question that subsequently turned into praxis for Ravishankar, as he began offering free and or discounted photography services to inter-caste couples in 2016. Taking to the streets is not my cup of tea, he says. Instead, he prefers to bridge the divide, armed with his camera, one picture at a time.
“Inter-caste couples are the ones actually challenging harmful norms and pushing for a better society,” Ravishankar tells TNIE. “The circumstances already put an intense financial crunch on them, I would simply like to offer my services as a gift to ease their burden,” he says.
Ravishankar’s Oliyan Photography, headquartered in Chennai, is the latest manifestation of Ambedkar’s call for the annihilation of caste, and the young man would also agree with the sentiment. Ravishankar has lent his lens to queer couples as well, although he is yet to land a proper project covering a queer wedding ceremony.
In a world where love knows no bounds, Ravishankar and his team stand as beacons of hope, reminding us that we can transcend our shackles and create a brighter, more inclusive future.
Pushing for a better society
“Couples from different communities, trying to get married, are the ones actually challenging harmful norms and pushing for a better society,” Ravishankar tells TNIE.