Dolpur Diaries

T H E S T O R Y O F E V E R Y
D O L P U R

The Genesis
PAVITRA
This is me, Pavitra, when I was born. My
father, a wealthy Brahmin from Dolpur
was not very happy at my birth. He was
expecting a son, like my two brothers
before me.
DEVI
Although I was named Devi, my arrival at the
house was not celebrated. My father did not
warm up to the idea of my existence till my
brother was born. He secured the future of our
family business.
MANJULA
I am the youngest of the five children born
in a Dalit household. I am Manjula.
D O L P U R , 1 9 7 5

Equal Steps, Unequal Circumstances
Baba has been against me going to School.
Ma had to do a bit of convincing. He
grudgingly drops me to the School everyday.
I love going to
School with my
brothers.
MANJULA
DEVI
PAVITRA
Madam, I know
the answer.
While School is fun, I barely get
time to catch up on my
homework. I wish I did not have
to work hard for money after
School.
IN SCHOOL
AFTER SCHOOL, MANJUA SWEEPS THE SCHOOL YARD
D O L P U R , 1 9 8 4

Deviations
DEVI
PAVITRA
My younger
brother started
going to this School
almost a year back.
My parents thought
it would be good if I
am around him.
First day at my new
School. Baba said the
teachers and other
facilities here are far
better than my old
School. Devi and I study
in Class 6 now.
This year's crop
failure has been
worse and Baba is in
debt. I don't know
for how long I can
continue studying in
School.
MANJULA
D O L P U R , 1 9 8 7

Transition to Adulthood
PAVITRA
DEVI
It was hard to
convince Ma and
Baba to let me
come to Delhi to
study medicine
and all the e ort
did not go in
vain. I am happy
to be here.
This decision was taken for me a few
years back. My husband Arun runs his
family business of bathroom fittings.
I had to leave School
after class 8. Now I clean 5
houses a day. Helps us a
lot with money.
Pratap has a full time job
and his family asked for a
reasonable dowry. My
parents believe that this is
the right time to get married.
My daughter,
Kirti, was born
a year after
my marriage.
MANJULA
D O L P U R , 1 9 9 4

Family First
PAVITRA
TOTO MOTORS
I have finished my MD now
and I am ready to practice
as a gynaecologist. Ma and
Baba say that I should get
married now.
Dr. Sharma is a heart specialist.
We are going to London as he
has received a fellowship to do
research in his field.
DEVI
Bahu, if you wish
to work, then it
should be in line
with our business.
My mother inlaw
and Kirti
help with my
younger one,
Tara, at home.
A memsahib, in whose house I used
to work, put in a good word for me
here at Geetika Garments. The work
is tiring but I make more money now.
MANJULA
The fees of this school is high
and we can't a ord to send both
of them here for long if I don't
get a regular, better paying job.
I am a tailor now and I
am happy with this
promotion, thanks to
Manager Sahib.
D O L P U R , 1 9 9 8

Living with Compromises
We had to
return to India
as Dr. Sharma
got an o er to
work at a big
hospital in Delhi.
I am a gynaecologist and
I run a small clinic at my
house in Delhi. My dream
was to go back to Dolpur
and start a hospital for
women, however this seems
unlikely in the near future.
PAVITRA
TOTO MOTORS
DEVI
I learnt interior
designing for 2
years as this
compliments my
husband's
business.
MANJULA
I was nominated for the position of the
floor supervisor here however I did not
make it. Jyoti, who has the same number
of experience as myself, got the job. They
say it is because of my caste.
D O L P U R , 2 0 0 1

Illustrations: Isha Gangoly
TOTO MOTORS
T H E S T O R Y O F E V E R Y
D O L P U R
The comic book captures the journey of
three characters at di erent phases of
their life starting from around 1975 to
sometime around 2010. This is a broad
stroke depiction of the life of three
women who start their journey from a
village called Dolpur that eventually
transforms into a city. Our attempt here
is to bring out the many social forces that
direct the journey of these women’s lives
and the relationship of these social forces
with the physical and ideological
transformation of Dolpur.
Content: Navdeep Kaur and Skanda S

?
?
1.
What role does school and college play in the lives of Pavitra, Devi and
10
What do you think is the relationship between the dominant narrative of
Manjula?
development, popular idea of progress and the transformation of the village
Dolpur into a city?
2.
3.
4.
Does society give power to people based on a certain kind of knowledge they
seem to possess?
What are the kind of inequalities that according to you exist between Manjula,
Devi and Pavitra? What do you think are the reasons behind this?
What do you see as the compromises that these three characters Devi,
Q U E S T I O N S
11.
12.
Are these relationships on a larger scale leading to global crises such as
climate change? If yes then how would you imagine this process contributing
to it?
Do you think that we as a part of this society need to question the dominant
narratives and the popular ideas of progress? Why?
Q U E S T I O N S
Manjula and Pavitra have made in their journey?
13.
What could be the reasons behind Manjula, Devi and Pavitra’s inability to
5.
Do you see a disparity in the quantity and quality of the compromises these
move away significantly from the dominant narrative in their journey?
three women are making? If yes, then what could be the reasons behind this
disparity?
14.
In what other ways do you imagine the relationship between the left side and
the right side of the comic book?
6.
How would the story be di erent if the three characters in focus were male?
7.
What is the kind of value given to manual work in the story of Dolpur? Are the
people who are involved in this kind of work being given the kind of
1.
The power of institutionalized knowledge systems (school, college etc.)
importance that they deserve?
2.
Inequality, Social Capital, Privilege: Caste, Gender and Class
8.
Is there a dominant narrative of development that is depicted in this story?
What do you think are the main features of this narrative?
3.
Dominant narrative of development
9.
Do you think the three women in the story have a particular notion of
progress in their lives? Could you imagine what this idea of progress is?
4.
Labour: most Important yet most exploited
T H E M E S