UpliftDoco

Unexpected Trespassing Guest

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

Like a child who is excited to share, Osama leads us to this body of water. The crew rushes to the sight of the moving motor and wait for it to pass peacefully; no ripples, no splashes, just a normal conversation between the transporters.

We also find our way to the wonder of sugar cane ripping and chewing - the proper way to consume them

At the end of the day, we had a wonderful dinner at Rameshwar's place, along with mosquitoes as our secondary guests. They "fully" enjoy our company.

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

Osama arrives last night to join the crew for a day. Throughout the shoot, Osama has been sharing his childhood stories, implementing a bare bone imagination of his village. The imagination shift as he narrates different stories: childhood wheeling game, mango hoarding, tree climbing, and many more. Now we are on the ground.

Discarding one of the locations due to traffic jam, we have the entire afternoon with Osama at his upbringing environment in West Champaran, a place that shapes him; an environment that forms the basis of his childhood personality.

We get out of the car. He points to the right. This is it. A rectangular building, beige and light brown concrete walls and couple barred windows.

He walks around the corner: “This is the front door, the entrance of the house.” We all follow. First sight in the building is a pile of ginger. A big pile of ginger, drying. Strolling deeper inside the building, Osama enthusiastically describe each room; the placement of things, the incidents about how he got the scar on his forehead.

The building is in its decay, slowly cracking; dust, weeds and grass invade the space. A tree persist on growing through the roof, engaging its charm within the building. It has been at least thirty years since Osama was back here last time. Images and memories twirl and sink into Osama; he spits out moments in every corner of the room.

We head upstairs. "This is where I used to sleep, and my uncle sleeps there.” Osama reflects. Maubeen captures Osama’s illustrations with his gestures. The excitement in his tone rumble through the narratives. His laugh draws out the playing and freedom of his childhood; the wonderland in his inner child.

There is a big dent, sloping down to a hole. Some greens sprout out and fill the hole. The part of the roof seems like it can collapse any moment. We walk around the rim, avoiding the sloping concrete and head to the other end. There are strips of dried and long-shaped plants lying gently on the roof. Rohit breaks free one of the leaves, and splinters the seeds out; he rolls them on my palm. These are mustard seeds. If you add oil onto it and cooks it a certain way, it becomes mustard spice. An old guy, Osama’s distant relative, steps on the mustard strips, crackle the mustards. Osama follows and stomps. Apparently, this is the way you’re supposed to do it. Alternatively, you lay them in the middle of the road, allow the passing vehicles be your free labour, and you can collect the seeds afterwards.

Listening to Osama describes without physically being there allow us to freely form mental images of the environment. Seeing the building overrides that imagination. Seeing the building and listening to him narrates enlighten you to his memories and feel the slight despair on this fragile building. This time, we reform the image with his stories and the once revitalized building; another type of imagination linger.

The crew is concerned about the electricity issue in the village for Osama’s interview; so they plan out when to use certain camera and how to keep the batteries for the important scenes.

As the perishing image do not resonate metaphorically with Osama’s work and hope, the crew scout for another location around the the village; somewhere shady, somewhere the movement of the sun cannot interfere, somewhere that depicts something about Osama’s vision and we find this. Something that grows fast, penetrates strongly, and persist extensively; the scenes is accompanied with a path that continues and leads somewhere — “down the path.”

Andrew and Osama have a lovely conversation about the complexity of Indians’ mentality, the dependency within the culture, the value of local and global consumerism and the multitude of the Indian culture; all the meandering themes and stories that emerge and thread through this documentary. The interview lasts for one hour and five minute, and the stories continue.

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

The crew searches for the scenes of the books to shoot on a roller. I follow the crew to see the books. As I skim through the locked bookshelf, it places another layer of confusion about sharing knowledge.

On the desk, there are couple books; fragile. I turn the page carefully, worried about disintegrating the pages. I ask about the age of the book; this one was published in mid 1940s. 

Osama asks one of the librarian to open the shelves. He takes out some books and skims and flips in a careful manner as if he is holding every breath of the book. One of the books is published in the 1800s. The embedded dust must have been older.

"Termites have created their own script!” Osama exclaims as he flips through one page after another. Andrew asks, “What are they trying to tell us?” "They've eaten right through," says Osama. "Food for thought!" Andrew replies. Osama looks up from the book and, "Thought for food!” he exclaims without so much as a breath. Everyone laughs.

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

We return to the library. Andrew feels better today and rejoins the group. This is his first time in the library. As we all settle in the digital centre, Andrew wanders and returns exclaiming how the books in the bookshelf in the corner of the digital centre reflect some kind of cultural history: Political Terrorism, The Mahabharata, Modern Ballroom Dancing, Etiquette for Gentlemen, Can Pakistan Survive, Fyodoor Doystoyeksy’s The Idiot, Social Anthropology, Beyond the Tenth, Oriental Study in the USSR, Home Movies made Easy.

Andrew continues exploring the environment. Some of us stay inside. Realizing that I still don’t know the full name of the library, I ask the librarian. He recites a long name. As he looks at my confuzzled face, he turns around and returns with a projector. He hooks it up to the computer, googles and finds the wiki page of the library. We all stare at the screen. This is communal reading.

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

For couple days Rameshwar stays with us. He is the one that disseminate messages of Soochna Seva to villagers, and he is our host.

We decide to go to the park nearby the library for his interview. The crew chooses a monument that depicts Indian’s freedom struggle. It faintly outlines in the background. Children and teenagers walk around the areas. We have to stop passersby from walking behind Rameshwar as they stare into the camera. Children's playing in the background juxtaposes Rameshwar’s conversation.

The crowd grows bigger and bigger. More and more people seek for a peak at the half hidden camera in the thin bush.

A beautiful moment emerge after the interview.

After the interview the crowded men's curiosity come forth and ask: Kya hua Madame? Kya hua? Their curiosity carry a tint of aggressiveness, so I back away. The crew members pack up and leave. Rameshwar, stand amongst the young men, patiently answer their questions. His sense of calmness reconcile the sound of horn and the traffic jam.

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

We head out to shoot at the public library. It is called Victorian memorial library in 1905. In 1955, it was renamed to Maharaja Harendra Kishore Public Library, commemorate the king Maharaja Sir Harendra Kishore Singh. There are various interviews to go through today. Andrew is not well, maybe it was the bumpy and breezy cold ride he had last night in the half open air vehicle, maybe it was the food, maybe it was the combination of both. He puts faith in the crew members and decides to rest today.

As we enter the gate that leads us to the library ground, various groups of males hover around the hallways. They are here to study for civil service exams. Passing these exams allow them to acquire higher ranking government career. The ratio to get selected is approximately 1/100.

“apple" “cat" “cat" “dog" “chutney" “dog" “dog" “cat"

That is the way they announce their multiple choice answers to the groups.

Beside the library building, there is the Digital Centre, which DEF is a partner; inside several students navigate on the computers.

Our first interview is Vahid, who is a DEF employee working specifically on the implementation of Soochna Seva. Maubeen wanders to find his spot interviews. Since I can’t understand the interviews, which are mostly in Hindi, I cruise around the library vicinity to find sights of books; so far I have not seen any.

Most doors are locked. There are 12 doors, six on each side of the building. The crew is in one of the rooms, the other door opens to the Nepali Sabha, a conference hall dedicated to Kaviavar Gopal Singh Nepali, who is a renowned Nepalese poet of Hindi literature. One of the door opens to a study room, inside, another door opens. I walk in. All the bookshelves are locked. Piles of newspapers and papers are in one corner. I feel like I walk into a storage of books, but I find sights of books.

As I drift around, a guy approaches me “Cathy, if you have any question, you can ask me.” His name is Jamohan. He is the library project coordinator.

For the rest of the afternoon, I bombard him with questions.

Why are the shelves locked? What is the ratio of boys to girls in the digital resource centre? What are the computer programs? What is the room for? Who are those people in the hallway? How do you get membership? What does being a member mean? Who is this?

The library entails its own peculiar sense: closed doors, locked and name-carved bookshelves, frizzled and wrinkled old books, the use of outside space vs. inside rooms and a man with faces and gestures that outline the history of library.

Jagmohan exclaims on the aloof attitudes of the government toward the library. He says, the position of a ‘sorter’ who catalogues and organizes the book has been vacant for ten years. The library requires more fund to improve; without improving the facility and infrastructure, people don't find the value in joining the library membership. Yet government requires proof of interest from the public to invest more funding to the space. Chicken or egg?

Jagmohan expresses how challenging youth is difficult. Youth who don’t find the value to pay for library membership use the space outside the library to study. Yet sometime, they can be nuisance, creating and accumulating garbage and noise.

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

During the second Soochna Seva session at Parsoni, due to the packed and small space, I stand outside the building, hiding under the rim of the roof. If I turn around and look up the barred window, I can have a small glimpse of the crew, that is if no one stands in front of the window. Once in a while, I turn. My view is blocked; hence I simply smell the rain and observe the villagers and the children around me.

Children are not shy, they look at me and giggle. Sometime they push each other to make someone fall in the rain puddle. Sometime they tiptoe and climb the barred window to see what the crew is doing. Some read the Soochna Seva pamphlet out loud. Some play around with the water. Some shun away my camera with their umbrella.

I turn around, Andrew takes on double roles; he holds the boom mic and concentrates on sound.

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

Village men crowd around the head councillor of the village and Andrew. Serendipitously, we have a conversation with her. As an unscheduled and abrupt interview, her narrative holds a sense of precariousness; yet she expresses a certain kind if certitude in her work of helping people.

What’s your name? He came up to me and asks, and we chat. His name is Arvind. He is the first one who puts an extra effort to speak English to Andrew in the interview. Having eighteen years of social work experience, his bliss lives in helping people. The crew finds a background that embeds a sense of support in his computer lab. The crew on the other hand receives great help and generosity from the workers there who carry and load off the bricks on their head back and forth in the hallway; because of us, their work is delayed.

Kumal, an eloquent and bright speaker explains her involvement with Soochna Sava. She voices her concern, her hope and her vision.

A man with little word. He has difficulty in expressing his voice as he is somewhat paralyzed. He is a local village hero. His work is s a precedent of the Soochna Seva movement. Coincidence, luck or fate?

Mubeen faces difficulty in grasping the some spot interviews today. It is not his fault. Some of them just don’t talk; some of them get interrupted; some are daunted by the camera, and some simply don’t know how to answer the questions.

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

Today my mind stands in a confusing and delighted state.

I see argument I see explanations I see resilience I see gesture of empowerment

I hear shouting I hear conversations I hear speeches I hear tones of empowerment

In the morning we drive in the fog to travel to Balthar. "It’ll be fun to shoot today” Andrew says and further emphasizes: "I’m actually excited about it."

We arrive Balthar. After a quick peek at the young (three months) Soochna Seva centre, we head towards the gram sabha area where villagers hold discussions. In short, Soochna Seva is a DEF project that aims to provide and improve access to information about public scheme for common citizens. Many who live in rural villages often lack access to information; hence they may overlook their right to certain benefits provided by the government.

The meeting space is a big round step-up sitting platform. Beside it stands a vigorous twirling tree. People slowly arrives and sit on the black and red striped carpet that the organizers prepare. As people gradually show up, the crew discusses the angles and sets up their cameras in three different locations. Arun takes boom mic and twirls it around the tree. Dissatisfied with the twirling, he climbs up the tree, finds a secured spot and holds the mic.

Traffic goes by nonstop. The horns, the yelling and some construction work constantly pass by behind the scene. Rameshwar, the active and lucid orator's and the villagers’ voices penetrate the space, overpowering the noise pollution. Rameshwari narrates; people refute; Rama Ji explains; people disagrees; Rameshwari illuminate, people bombard him eittheir voices.h; Rameshwar clarifies, some people listens, some people holds doubt.

Running around the circular platform, I see Ravi. “What was that heated conversation about?"

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

Andrew and Rohit roam in and out of the building to look for a conversational space with Sanjay after the overpowering and compassionate occurrence in the small room.

Too bright, the sun slowly heats up. Too small, they need more space between the camera and the subject. They point and frame with their fingers. Then, they are ready. 

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

Everyone wakes up and exclaims a little about the buzzing attack of mosquitoes last night. Some of us are still half awake.

After the aloo paratha and the charming tea at the hotel, we left Vaishali and head to Muzaffarpour; one story after another. It is time for Sanjay’s story.

NREGA is a government scheme that guarantee workers’ right to work by providing at least100 days of employment wages. However corruption is rampant in various villages; workers either overwork and/or they fail to receive correct amount of payment. In short, Sanjay figured out a way to inform the villagers about their rights and gather them to support each other in gaining access to information.

The road to Ratnauli, Muzzafarpur is a bit bumpy. Hut houses are extensive; their colours vary according to the colour of the dust. Due to mosquitoes’ intrusion last night, I quickly fall asleep in the bumpy procession. When I wake up, I jump out the car and follow the crew. The arrays of vegetation gradually wake me up. The mix of the smell of the greens covers the scent of cow dung.

Women stand at the door of the Samaj Parivartan Shakti Sansthan (SPSS) centre (Translates to: Community Change for Empowerment Organization). They enthusiastically invite us into the building. We sit in a half circle in the small room on the stools. Woman one by one come in, sit on the floor and gradually squeeze together as more women enter. These women are here to acquire information from Sanjay with their employment card. Throughout the day, various groups of women join and leave.

With the energetic women filling the constricted room, the crew manages to find their camera corners and captures the empowering stories of these women.

Due to the compacted space, I stay outside, closely to the door. I observe and eavesdrop on Ravi’s translations of these women’s narratives. Throughout the shoot, more women arrive. They sit, stand and squat outside the door. They all gather and wait. The room’s magical vibe enables women to voice their opinions, sometimes with certain degree of heat. Yet their voices are stern and confident.

When the crew finishes in the room, I slip in and observe their actions and their attitudes. The electricity is back on, which allows them to commence their work. One by one, woman speak out her name, Sanjay search in a spreadsheet that is available online, and inform her about her status. Though I cannot understand the language, I grasp the mood. They are there not only for the access to information. When traditions and society’s cultural system impede their access to basic right, they support each other.

#UpliftDocoTraces - behind the scenes written by cathy chen

It stands still with its surrounding.