Bihar flood to be showcased in Chicago exhibition

PATNA: Rare photographs on floods in Bihar, surviving floods and life in north Bihar would be put on show at an exhibition at the Loyala University’s Museum of Art (LUMA) of Loyala university, Chicago from May 21.

Bihar’s activist and photographer Eklavya Prasad has photographed the lives of people in rural Indiawhile leading his grassroots campaign, Megh Pyne Abhiyan (Cloud Water Campaign), to supply safe drinking water to the flood-prone areas in north Bihar.

The remote areas of north Bihar, and the strength, spirit, determination, valour and vivacity of its people, as demonstrated by the millions surviving the floodwaters; inspired Prasad.

“As I worked alongside and participated in their (people’s) struggle and in their communities, I captured the uniqueness of the region through my Cannon EOS 30D camera,” Prasad told  before leaving for US.

For past many years, he has built a portfolio that displays disaster and normalcy – with people braving the gushing waters with a smile — so that the outside world can also appreciate the nature of living in north Bihar.

Eklavya’s experience of working extensively in disparate rural regions, on various issues and among different people for the past 15 years guide his perceptions and actions as an activist and as a photographer.

“A total of 40 photographs under the heads such as ‘Floods in Bihar’, ‘Women of north Bihar’, and ‘Surviving floods and life in north Bihar’ will be exhibited from May 21 to July 31,” he told.

Prasad will be making a presentation at a conference – ‘The Global Crisis: Through the Lens of Class, Race and Gender’ — organized by the Global Studies Conference, on May 21, on the issue of ‘rural development trajectory, challenges and potential of Bihar’.

On May 25, a conversation between Prasad and assistant professor, School of Social Work, Shweta Singh has been organized in which they explain development work in Bihar. They will discuss the role of grassroots organizations like ‘Megh Pyne Abhiyan’ that focus on women and rural communities.

The whole initiative has been supported by LUMA and School of Social Work, Loyola University, Chicago.