FADING GRAFFITI

 It is often said that the nature of a city can be derived from its walls. The depictions on the walls portray the characteristics, the ideals, the history and politics of the denizens. Fellow travelers, today we will walk along the walls of Kolkata, listening intently to the whispering from the walls, narrating the legacy of the city that once, used to rule the politics of a colonized India.

Political graffiti, if preserved, may work as a documentation of a political history, a timeline of political happenings. But sadly, with each coming elections, a new graffiti takes its place on top of the other, and history remains buried under fresh coats of colour. Kolkata has seen some of the most politically unsettling times since the Indian independence. The Naxalite period, for example, saw an upsurge of anti-state sentiments portrayed through wall graffiti.

A still from the film Herbert by Suman Mukhopadhyay
depicting wall painting during the Naxalite uprising.

After the Naxalite period, the 34 years of Left rule saw depictions of the hammer and sickle flourish on nearly every wall of Kolkata. The depictions and the symbols started to change towards the end of the Left rule and emergence of the Trinamool Congress. The twin flowers started to crop up on the walls once ruled by the hammer and sickle – Change is the only constant, isn’t it, fellow traveler?

But, we are not concerned about the emblems, the sole purpose is to find and gather the relics of the past. The fading graffiti.

With the emergence of each election, the para office of the political parties gets ready for promotions of the selected candidate of their locality. They deploy their deadliest weapons- a group of local artists for Deyal Likhon. The fights over capturing walls, witty cartoons and attractive forms are parts of Bengal’s election culture. The wall graffiti of Kolkata exudes passion –for art, for politics, for ideals.

But, the enthusiasm doesn’t last after the results are out. Be it the victorious, be it the Opposition, none preserves relics of the campaigns. And time takes its toll. The rains wash down the strokes of colour that once bought those walls to life. And what are left are sinfully beautiful- beautiful depictions of Gestalt’s Negative and Positive Spaces. The spirit of the graffito. Faded remains that cling on to the walls.

Wherever they are, they will enchant your eyes, and slowly, if patient, you will perceive the whole picture. The faded invisible lines will again spring to life. The lost, washed away colours will return in full grace. Fellow traveler, thou art traveling through time! You will see history captured on walls. And keep your ears open. Lest, you miss the whisperings.

A recent trend is setting its foot on the Kolkata walls, and gaining popularity among the youth. The advent of the globalization , the west influenced graffiti styles are slowly eating on the popularity of the Deyal Likhon. Old warehouses, dingy roads are adorned with tags and detailed graffiti along with messages. Unlike the Deyal Likhon, these artists doesn’t seem to have a political propaganda and the focus is mainly on issues of social awareness and justice.

P.S: Keep your eyes closed. Open your mind. And I promise, you will travel through time.

• About the Author

About Shreejit Guha

Run, Jump, Climb to the cliffs of Isolation and jump into the sea of madness and cacophony. Listen intently to the paroxysm and choose your way. Be content. And be Confused. Thus is my philosophy.