Gulmohar
An Environmental Graphics Project
Budhwar Peth, Pune
As part of a college project to study a particular space of my choice and suggest transformations to that space, I decided to take a deep look at red light areas of a city, perhaps the most dehumanised spaces of our society. What was it in that ‘space’ for this woman? Was there a design intervention that could humanise the space?
The space was Budhwar Peth, India’s 3rd largest red light area, located centrally in Pune, one of India's oldest and fastest growing cities. This area, home to over 5000+ sex workers has existed since the 1700s. A mute witness to over three centuries of screaming history.
This was enabled through the help of Kayakalpa, a civil society organisation which has devoted itself to educating the women of Budhwar Peth about HIV/AIDS and other health related issues. It facilitated my interactions with the physical and mind spaces of these women.
Visiting these spaces provided deep insights into the conditions these women live and work in and the emotional turmoil they go through.
Problem Statement
How can we help Budhwar Peth's sex workers accomplish higher self-esteem and self-worth in the context of the space they live and work in?
The Approach
The brief of studying a space was beyond just the physical spaces immediately visible. I discovered metaphysical, emotional and psychological spaces which became an integral part of the overall design parameters of this project.
Prostitution has stigma written all over it. That stigma permeates into the space the sex workers occupy.
Hence I resolved to enhance these very spaces with elements that would subconsciously make these women feel closer to the space, that it belonged to them and that they were in control.
Gulmohar: A targeted initiative
'Gulmohar' was an extension of this thought. The aim was to create a name, an identity to this feeling of togetherness that would help bind this objective together. But why a Gulmohar flower?
One out of five petals is always unique and has a pattern that other petals don't. This serves as a direct metaphor for every woman in Budhwar Peth.
Additionally, the flower is warm and vibrant and spread across India.
The women would be in direct as well as indirect contact with this initiative through the following three elements:
A. Physical Space
The women spend a majority of their time in the common halls. This space is used for socialising, watching tv, sharing make-up, and generally spending time together. This is also the first point of contact between the men who visit and the women.
The pitch for this communal room was to add illustrations that would strengthen the feeling of the space belonging to them, and not those who temporarily visit it.
I aimed to highlight this intention with the help of the following elements:
i. Jamini Roy Inspired Artwork
The stylizing of the women in Jamini Roy's artwork show women as strong, stoic and observant human beings. Just how I saw the women in Budhwar Peth.
ii. Flowers
Flowers have been a universally recognized symbol for the female spirit. Deep-rooted metaphors for being colorful and blooming in the face of adversity served as inspiration behind the choice.
iii. Mandalas
Mandalas represent wholeness and are integrated structures organized around a unifying center. They offer balancing visual elements, symbolizing unity and harmony, a warm resemblance to the close community of the sex workers.
A few explorations were done centered around the above-mentioned themes. Mandala explorations of women forms done toying with the 'community' centred objective.
Final Illustrations
Above: A mock-up of what the illustrations would look like in context of a room.
B. Safety Kit
I hoped to take this initiative a step further and explore a more intensive approach to making the women feel wanted and cared for within the very same space.
Hence came the concept of a safety kit and magazine that would be provided to the women of Budhwar Peth.
The magazine would be a monthly publication that would have content provided by these women themselves. The content could be in the form of stories, poems, artwork, for anyone who has something to share. Topics such as mental health, safety, and general healthcare would also be discussed at length.
Above: Rough explorations deciding the logotype for Gulmohar.
Above: Final logoform for the Gulmohar initiative.
Contents of the Kit
The canvas bag with artwork marks the ownership of the space by woman. It stands as a proof of residence, a small hint of ‘owned space’ for the woman to keep her belongings in a space which is otherwise just a transactional space.
Thank you!