Methodology: Interviews
Language: Marathi
Catalysts: Sanjay Ranpise
Youth Fellows:
Suraj Bhoir
Triveni Mane
Vikky Bhelve
Tejashri Kavale
Sangita Avaghade
Coordinator:
Anita Patil-Deshmukh
About the Subject:
Girangaon, (Village of the mills), once a culturally prosperous and dynamic neighborhood within the heart of Mumbai, is now under the assault of the globalization. The first process which has brought in the nexus of builders and politicians to the area is redevelopment. This process of gentrification is increasingly marginalizing the current poor residents of this area and is pushing them toward the ru-urban periphery of the city thus impacting the social fabric of their neighborhood.
This group of friends and neighbors who all hail from Girangaon decided to explore the criminalization of their own neighborhood secondary to the gentrification process through the process of interviewing local political leadership, builders, the residents who are being affected and the youth whose aspirations make them easy victims of the criminalization process.
Challenges & Learnings:
The biggest challenge the Team faced was making people agreeable for an interview. With changed sensitivities regarding the developers and builders, most community residents were reluctant to talk. The politician formed the flip side of the same coin where they too were deeply suspicious on the intentions of the interviewers.
Therefore they avoided being interviewed and made people chase them continuously. Getting information which was reliable was the biggest problem the team faced. Most of their information gathering happened during very casual interactions between the youth and the community residents over a cup of tea. That was huge learning for the team.
End Product:
This Team came up with the case studies of the people they interviewed. But everyone involved was deeply aware of the inadequacy of the final product.
