That old building with its shake walled damp cellars and dark cloakrooms and a tunnel shaped entrance attracted me to go inside and explore, the walls were dark yellow and look like an ancient architecture, regardless of fantasies of immeasurable achievement, I had feelings of aggregate annihilation. Something needed to happen, to keep me from the move.
A lady was sitting at the entrance of the old building, It was an old Temple situated at Soldier Bazar Karachi, according to her it was the center of preaching for Hindu community in Sindh. The young Photojournalist visited the place with IAMKARACHI team and all of the them were busy in taking photographs, He break the ice and started to communicate with the old lady about her life and experience, her dark eyes were small and deep, her silver hairs describe the time lapse she had experienced, her face were full of wrinkles, she was busy in chewing tobacco a.k.a (Pan), a thought came into the mind of the photographer, he aims the lens toward her and capture one portrait.
On his way back, he wrote the life story of old lady and shared with his seniors and , they liked the story and decided to invite that lady as a guest on their event. In front of all guest she invited her on the stage and gift her framed picture and a bouquet of fresh flowers, during the exhibition, the young photographer confronted and greet her, the lady got excited as she recall all the moments spent with that boy in Temple, she ended up asking innocently, "They called me here, will they pay me as well?"
The young boy get shocked by the question as he didn't expect it and never thought about it before, many things start to come in his mind, he thought that it was his fault that he give hope to old lady as when he meet her, maybe she start thinking about that her good days will be coming and people will support me, then he think what an old lady will do with a framed portrait and flowers who don't even have proper food to eat, pure water to drink, and new clothes to wear, who is living in an old house which has no luxuries. It will be of no use for her.
The lady will be beneficial for both the publishing authority and the photographer, but the subject in the photograph will remain behind the scenes and will get no benefit out of it.
But there is another side f the story that the photographer was thinking, maybe the lady was already aware of the fact that if they are inviting her in their event they will help her out as well, and the greed that comes in the mind of the lady motivates her to visit, and if IMKARACHI team help her financially she will get habitual and always look for opportunities to earn some extra money.
In the end, the lady left the exhibition area with her family, IAMKARACHI team got busy with their guests, the only person left behind thinking was that young photographer, who felt guilty that maybe he gives false hope to the lady who was living her life anonymously, maybe she will get famous through her portraits but will never get any benefit out of it.
Society needs to change..
There are so many subjects which needs attention and time to listen to their stories and to give them importance, our society should accommodate those people like the way IAMKARACHI is doing by giving opportunities to the young photographers to visit their city, write stories and spread the message of love and peace.
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