Capturing the lives of marginalised communities in Ambedkar Nagar

The 90 plus photographs have beautifully captured the nuances of different customs and traditions practised by each community within the locality.

“Ambedkar Nagar near Kakkan Bridge is a place in between Velachery and Adambakkam and I live near the area. I decided to explore the diversity that defines the space occupied by impoverished marginalised communities. Everyone has an interesting story to share. When I started interacting with them, I understood that outsiders have many prejudices about the place. Through this photography exhibition, I hope to break the stereotypes and question the prejudices,” says Yazhini.  

The youngster took six months to complete the project and over the months, Yazhini has developed a great rapport with the people. “Initially, they were hesitant to pose for pictures. But after some time, they became friendly and I finished my photography project smoothly. If you happen to visit the place, you will understand that people are forced to do most of the household activities outside the house. You can spot men and women cooking, washing vessels, clothes, bathing and so on. All the houses in Ambedkar Nagar are tiny and cannot accommodate all activities,” she adds.