The photographs here, taken in the field, represent work I have been doing with socially marginalized women musicians in India since 1994.
Musical matrilineage: (L-R) daughter Chandni and mother Aruna, Muzaffarpur, 2005
Children of tawaifs in an ad-hoc music school in Chaturbhujasthan, Muzaffarpur, 2005
ms. mars, “Chandni’s Choice” coproducer, with Chandni’s mother, vocalist Aruna Devi in Muzaffarpur, 2005
(L-R) Baby (Aruna’s sister), Aruna, Amie, Chandni (Aruna’s daughter), Muzaffarpur, 2005
Aruna Devi and Qawwali singer, theater actress Poonam Naz, Muzaffarpur, 2006
Amie and Delhi vocalist & writer Vidya Rao (R) on Bowbazaar kotha rooftop with resident dancer Madhuri Devi, Kolkata, 2006
Bowbazaar kotha (tawaifs’ building), Kolkata
Bowbazaar pan walla extraordinaire Surej Muni, 2006
Chaturbhujasthan beauty ready to entertain, Muzaffarpur, 2006
retired vocalist, dancer, and actress Daya Devi (aka Daya Kumari), Muzaffarpur, 2006
Women and children of Chaturbhujasthan, Muzaffarpur, 2005
Vocalist Alka Rani and her clan, Muzaffarpur, 2005
Chandni’s home, Muzaffarpur
Chaudhurayan (neighborhood leader) of Chaturbhujasthan Rani Begum with Guria leader Ajeet Singh and houseboy Akbar, Muzaffarpur, 2005
Guria leader Ajeet Singh discusses plans with musician Zahoor Khan and others, Muzaffarpur, 2006
Chaturbhujasthan neighbors
Women in the field (L-R): Saira Begum, Daya Kumari, Amie, and Kali Dasi, Muzaffarpur, 2001.
Jam session with Jiyo Begum, Rani Begum and accompanists, Muzaffarpur, 2001.
Daya Kumari, daugher-in-law, grandson, and son, Kaushal, in Muzaffarpur, 2003.
Aruna Devi, Kali Dasi, Meena Tabassum interviewing with Arup Sen Gupta, Muzaffarpur, 2001.
Generations (L-R): Aruna Devi, Kali Dasi, granddaughter Ragini and baby Kanhai, Muzaffarpur, 2000.
Aruna Devi (R) and daughter, Chandni, , Muzaffarpur, 2003.
Mr. Bano, Shalini, Chandni, Muzaffarpur, 2001.
Misra brothers, Bowbazaar, Kolkata, 1995
Continuing the Benares legacy in Bowbazaar, Kolkata, 2003.
Members of the Guria collective, Muzaffarpur, 2003.
Meena Tabassum rehearsing with accompanists Kaushik (L), Sajan (R). and her Ustad, in Muzaffarpur, 2003.
Ajit Singh with Amie and members of the Guria collective, Muzaffarpur, 2003.
Ajit Singh with Amie and members of the Guria collective, Muzaffarpur, 2003.
Mustari Bai and family, Delhi, 1996.
The woman ethnomusicologist in the field! Muzaffarpur, 2003.
Daya Kumari and son, Kaushal, in Muzaffarpur, 2001.