Kolkata has approximately 18,000 rickshaw which have always been a iconic part of the city . They where introduced over a century ago by the Chinese and they play a very important role in moving not only people but goods thought the city. These rickshaw wallers carry every thing from school children to live chicken. In the incredibly narrow lanes of the city and it doesnâ??t take you long to figure out why these rickshaws have survived the test of time. The Marxist government of West Bengal state in India have described the jobs of the rickshaw pullers of Kolkata as â??barbaricâ??, â??despicableâ?? and â??inhumanâ??. There is no place in the year 2010 they say for the â??Human horsesâ??. Men with bare feet pulling other men for 18 hours a day in the heat and the rain for a few rupees. But the cities residents disagree. Almost all of the pullers originate from the state of Bihar one of Indiaâ??s poorest states. They come here looking for work leaving there families behind in the villages. Its hard, lonely and sadly a pathetic existence.
Palani’s work has been widely published by many of the world’s leading publications. He is the author of six books including his latest – Wind, Water. His work is part of the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London and his images have been shown widely including at the prestigious Visa Pour L’Image in Perpignan, France. He talks about his work and photography around the world, including in the TEDx series and at the Asia Society in Hong Kong and New York,and he has been recognised with awards including World Press Photo
Awards World Press Photo
