Dedicated to the people of Korail
It seems that the lake has spilt the people into two. On one side of it are the affluent, and on the other, the poor and impoverished, with many of whom working for those living on their opposite side. And it seems that these two groups do not know much about each other; they might live nearby, they sometimes even interact with each other, but they are still poles apart.
For those living on the affluent side, Korail slum is a world unknown, a colony least understood, an alien land that is a puzzle left unsolved, an area of narrow, confusing alleys that is nothing short of a maze - a labyrinth.
Labyrinth is a book that features life in Korail slum. Brought out by Bengal Publications, the coffee table book is the product of the teamwork of Munize Manzur and Arif Hafiz. Together, they have provided an intimate glimpse of this fascinating world.
In fact, earlier this year, a photography exhibition was also held, at the gallery of Red Shift Coffee Lounge.
Hafiz, a veteran photographer, had ventured into the slum, capturing the essence of the locality - its people, their lives and their interesting ways of doing things. Meanwhile, Manzur, a writer - who was also Literary Editor of The Daily Star - drew inspiration from the pictures and wrote monologues and musings and stories based on them, depicting the lives of the people through her eyes.
"Munize was the one who picked the photographs for the book," Hafiz informed while he flipped through it. "Korail slum is a city within a city," he continued. "They have everything that one needs, almost as if you do not need to go outside for anything."
Indeed, the pictures show bazaars and kitchen markets and butchery shops and jewellery shops - a wide array of things that make up a locality. Who would have thought that a jewellery shop can be situated at the heart of a slum? From the hardships of life to the perks it provides, Labyrinth is a document of the lifestyle of a people often less talked about.
Labyrinth is therefore a bundle of surprises. But perhaps the best thing about the book is that it makes the audience see the slum and its dwellers with more empathy, allowing private glimpses into a world less known - perhaps a bridge over that lake?
By M H Haider
For information about availability and price, contact Bengal Publications at 09666773311
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