Collaborate with Citizen Matters to document Bengaluru’s people

Do you remember the knife sharpeners, kulfi walas/ice cream carts, salt sellers, son papadi sellers, metalware repairmen, etc of yesteryear? Collaborate with us to document their stories.

Citizen Matters is looking to work with citizen writers/photographers for a new series: Disappearing professions of Bengaluru.

Through this series, we are looking to capture the essence of a Bengaluru that is slowly disappearing, and create a repository of what could perhaps become history in a few years. The series will offer an insight into how Bengaluru is coping with all the change, as the city and her people move forward in the race to become a true metropolis.

Disappearing professions of Bengaluru

Do you remember the knife sharpeners, kulfi walas/ice cream carts, salt sellers, son papadi sellers, metalware repairmen, etc of yesteryear?

With the advent of malls, etc and stuff being easily available, many of the street vendors or repairmen who would go from house to house are rarely seen any more. And as Bengaluru grows, it is unlikely that we will look to them to get work done.

We were looking to track the ones who are still around and feature their stories. You are likely to meet them on a random street in the city, or maybe one or two of them still drop in to your house. 

Sharpening knives for a living. Video: Vishwanath Srikantaih

What we are looking for is for you to capture their stories as and when you see them. A picture (or several), a few lines on who they are and what they do, and perhaps their back story. Do ask them what they envision for themselves or their children too.

How you can collaborate with us

You can upload your submissions here. Do remember to caption the pictures as well. You can also upload a short video onto YouTube and share the link with us!

Alternately, you can drop a mail to edit@citizenmatters.in with the series name as the subject line, attaching your article or picture(s). Do remember to send us your name, email ID and a line or two about yourself that we can use for the author byline as well.

Please note: This is not a commissioned series; we are looking for volunteers who can collaborate with us.

Any queries? Write to us, and we will clarify them for you. 

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