UPAYAN CHATTERJEE

Independent Documentary Photographer

Days in Lockdown

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Location: Howrah, West Bengal, India

Nationality: Indian

Biography: I belong from the township of Howrah in West Bengal, India, and am currently pursuing a graduation degree in Electronics and Tele-Communications Engineering at Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Yet, there is this strong passion towards the art... MORE

The global lock-down is present...e, before normalcy is restored.

1 of 18 © 2024 UPAYAN CHATTERJEE

The global lock-down is presently being associated with an apparent calm and yet we all understand how chaotic the situation is. The World standing at a standstill, jeopardizes a lot of lives and perhaps a greater crisis awaits, even after the pandemic subsides. A long wait shall ensue, before normalcy is restored.

The Windows have always been im...on of the uncertain days ahead.

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The Windows have always been important but we perhaps have never felt its need to be so strong and indomitable. Hours are spent by its side, looking at the outside world and sometimes within our very own selves- facing the fears, the insecurities and the apprehension of the uncertain days ahead.

As the anxiety takes over, nig... the privileged consternation.

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As the anxiety takes over, nights grow sleepless for many. Thousands of migrant workers gathering at various parts of India, stranded thousands of Kilometres away from home, shelter-less speaks volumes of how nights go sleepless due to problems, much more serious and direct than just the privileged consternation.

The world, which we ...e wings, we never knew we had.

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The world, which we had been taking so much for granted, seems to be so far way and we suddenly miss the wings, we never knew we had.

The gift of age, comes with the... are currently standing amidst.

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The gift of age, comes with the weight of experience and happy are those who have little to take care of. The rooftops reverberate in the afternoons with the little ones running about, not ready to forsake a second's worth of play, as the elders sit behind the dark doors and envy the joy of ignorance.The little kids are perhaps the only ones laughing freely, and freedom of their souls, inculcates momentary cheerfulness in the gravest of minds.The secret door to a happy world of flowers and joy opens, even if for a moment, taking us far from the war we are currently standing amidst.

A little girl plies between her... us to re-evaluate our choices.

6 of 18 © 2024 UPAYAN CHATTERJEE

A little girl plies between her parents, as does the shuttle cock. Busy schedules, the lack of quality time with family, the loneliness amongst the youngest generation- a lot many diseases seem to be slowly being fixed, as this lock-down situation forces us to re-evaluate our choices.

Mother and child, look down fro...urge to get back to it results.

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Mother and child, look down from the terrace, trying to locate a feather which went overboard. Longing for what is lost is a very instinctive behavior amongst humans, no matter how neglected it may have been in possession. There are few, who claim to be happy with the life they lead, and yet once that very life pauses, an indomitable urge to get back to it results.

For the elders and the retired...what it apparently looks like.

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For the elders and the retired grandparents, the confinement has brought little change to the daily activities. My grandfather often talks of how important it is to build a fixed routine for oneself, especially when entire days are to be passed at home and the chains of external duties grow loose. My grandmother cooks, while he exercises, as I slowly come to realize that staying indoors is a battle, tougher than what it apparently looks like.

Days in Lockdown

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My mother still has to handle a...ms amidst the darkest of times.

10 of 18 © 2024 UPAYAN CHATTERJEE

My mother still has to handle a lot of the household chores, while also working at her job from home. I see her struggling to strike a balance, and yet I see her succeeding, somehow. I see her fighting the conditions as best she can and I see her becoming one of the best versions of herself . I see all of us coming together and helping as best as we can to make this testing time a bit easier for the other members. A beautiful togetherness blooms amidst the darkest of times.

With all of its struggles and n... lock-down has failed to alter.

11 of 18 © 2024 UPAYAN CHATTERJEE

With all of its struggles and new duties to perform, it is unanimously understood that staying at home over a long stretch of time, is more tiring than is apparent. Resting, has thus retained it's undeniable importance and lazy afternoons have emerged as one of the very few entities, that the lock-down has failed to alter.

With each passing day, I grow m... generally too tired to notice.

12 of 18 © 2024 UPAYAN CHATTERJEE

With each passing day, I grow more aware of all those we share our space with. The ones who choose the shadows to hide, and the ones we are generally too tired to notice.

The more I grow observant of t...ry global relevance.

13 of 18 © 2024 UPAYAN CHATTERJEE

The more I grow observant of the lurking boarders, the more I realize that they are wary of us. They remain hidden from the fear being trampled, as soon as they walk the lighted paths of the higher beings. The more I see them, the more I realize that freedom is not habitual for many and the seemingly unimportant sequence opens up to a scary global relevance.

And yet, those who are privileg... maintain the habit of freedom.

14 of 18 © 2024 UPAYAN CHATTERJEE

And yet, those who are privileged enough to have had made freedom their habit, it is a tough ask to let it go. Ever since I was a kid, I always saw my grandfather going out for regular walks in the afternoons. The lock-down has kept him indoors but the walks still happen, reduced to plying up and down the open terrace. Little does this serve the purpose of the walks, but it does serve to maintain the habit of freedom.

The tough times have always se...sses, is the only way forward.

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The tough times have always served to be the time to reflect upon our own selves and this global pandemic raises the obvious questions, that have long been neglected. It is perhaps time for humanity, to evaluate themselves as a species and realize the extent of damage that our community has already inflicted upon others and even on our very own selves. Thousands of people taking to the streets, men dying on the road while trying to walk thousands of kilometres to be back at home and the state turning a deaf ear to their plea- the pandemic has shown us where we have gone wrong as a community and reflecting on the prevalent problems once the emergency passes, is the only way forward.

We tend to acknowledge only the... do nothing to fight them back.

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We tend to acknowledge only the bright lights shining upon us, and neglect the shadows that they inevitably cast. Ignoring and denying that the shadows exist, would only mean that the darkness grows in strength, while we do nothing to fight them back.

Just as this pandemic makes us...ess shall ever cease to exist.

17 of 18 © 2024 UPAYAN CHATTERJEE

Just as this pandemic makes us aware of our vulnerabilities, it also makes us realize our privileges. We get to sleep under the lights, while thousands are engulfed by the darkness beyond it. While we all know that someday or the other this emergency shall pass, we really have no answer to whether the perpetual darkness shall ever cease to exist.

As we all go through this phase...is the only way into the light.

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As we all go through this phase together, we perhaps develop a better sense of togetherness. We perhaps, start understanding their lives better, who face more permanent problems than a passing pandemic. We perhaps grow more considerate towards those who sleep in the open today and perhaps realize the importance of more sustainable means of living. Perhaps, this pandemic shall raise a more socially responsible generation and perhaps that is the only way into the light.

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Thumbnail of The global lock-down is presentl_ue, before normalcy is restored.

Thumbnail of The Windows have always been imp_ion of the uncertain days ahead.

Thumbnail of As the anxiety takes over, nigh_t the privileged consternation.

Thumbnail of  The world, which we h_he wings, we never knew we had.

Thumbnail of The gift of age, comes with the _e are currently standing amidst.

Thumbnail of A little girl plies between her _s us to re-evaluate our choices.

Thumbnail of Mother and child, look down from_ urge to get back to it results.

Thumbnail of For the elders and the retired _ what it apparently looks like.

Thumbnail of Days in Lockdown

Thumbnail of My mother still has to handle a _oms amidst the darkest of times.

Thumbnail of With all of its struggles and ne_e lock-down has failed to alter.

Thumbnail of With each passing day, I grow mo_e generally too tired to notice.

Thumbnail of The more I grow observant of th_ary global relevance.

Thumbnail of And yet, those who are privilege_o maintain the habit of freedom.

Thumbnail of The tough times have always ser_asses, is the only way forward.

Thumbnail of We tend to acknowledge only the _e do nothing to fight them back.

Thumbnail of Just as this pandemic makes us _ness shall ever cease to exist.

Thumbnail of As we all go through this phase _ is the only way into the light.

Public Story

Days in Lockdown

Copyright UPAYAN CHATTERJEE 2024

Updated Jul 2020

Location Howrah, India

Topics Black and White, Documentary, Emotion, Epidemics, Isolation, Pandemics, Parenting & Family, Photography, Reporting, Senior Citizens, Spotlight

The World looks different over the anxious days of lock-down, as the COVID-19 pandemic rages like wildfire around the globe. Being confined within the perimeters of home, with ample time to explore, opened up possibilities and new ways to look at the very place I've been staying at for over 20 years now. Compiling this project was challenging, be it mastering the techniques or composing the shots that complemented the narrative. It was also an extremely intricate learning process- the urge to find new perspectives and analogies and continuous striving to recognize the striking patterns and unique moments, hiding amidst the mundane chores.
My work revolves around the day to day activities, while trying to find the greater manifestation, hidden amongst those. It is all about how the lights fall, about the shadows they cast and about bringing forth the stories, within, forming in the emotional undercurrents that continue to flow beneath the seemingly calm passage of anxious days.

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Also by UPAYAN CHATTERJEE —

Tryst with the Owlets

UPAYAN CHATTERJEE / Howrah, India

Dec 15, 2017 - Ongoing

Graveyard of Trees

UPAYAN CHATTERJEE / Kolkata, India

May 20, 2020 - Jul 15, 2020

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