Illustrated book + visual ethnography
Pulicat's PeNgal
Pulicat, a coastal town in TamilNadu enjoys quite a unique identity in India. Home to the magical bar mouth, Pulicat has made its name in history for constantly being on alert for Tsunamis and coastal cyclones. But when I reached Pulicat, I saw a spirit that wasn’t shaken by these threats. While there were many that influenced and contributed to Pulicat’s environment, but nothing quite like the PeNgal of Pulicat (the women of Pulicat)
Made for /
CRENeIO (Pulicat)
Role /
Research + Ideation + Storyboarding + Illustration + Writing
School /
Srishti School Of Design
Year /
2017
Mapping Pulicat's ecosystem
The Self-help groups of Pulicat form an integral part of the town’s ecosystem. While most SHGs around the country operate to ensure financial stability, the women of Pulicat have used these community-led groups to also do good for the community and change the civic map of the town and its nearby villages.
Data collected via visual ethnography - extracted from interviews and comversations
Stories are only powerful if they can inspire - at least in a world where men are given the credit to bring home the bread. These women take care of their homes and their community in more ways than one. They hope to leave behind a legacy, which encourages their sons and daughters to fight for their rights. As an attempt to make their stories more visible, I made an illustrated comic book for the kids in Pulicat. These books will be circulated in Pulicat (in English and Tamil) and nearby villages with the help of CReniEo, the organization who hosted me during my visit to Pulicat and can be credited with uplifting these women by providing them necessary training and support.
