Graphic Reflections

One wonders how many times we realise that every indian currency note and coin contains an image of the father of our nation. When we use, abuse or spend money incessantly, do we remember the values Mahatma Gandhi stood for?

This graphic tries to portray the humiliating treatment given to public property in India by the general public. Property that is provided for the convenience of people is littered, scratched, abused, plastered by posters, sometimes destroyed, etc. The most worrying fact is that destruction of public property has become a symbol of protesting, causing huge losses to the exchequer, inconvenience to masses and a setback to the development process. India desperately needs strict laws and massive fines to check destruction or abuse of public property.

This typographical graphic attempts to portray the situation on urban India roads, where a variety of vehicles struggle, even jostle, for their share of the road. In many cases, the situation defies logic and one wonders if there can ever be a solution to streamline traffic on India’s roads.

This graphic attempts to reveal ‘highways’ used by two animals: Squirrel (yellow), Cat (Orange) and one bird: Pigeon (Blue), as observed from a terrace in Jaipur. So busy and lively these animals and birds keep our surroundings, isn’t that wonderful?

This graphic tries to portray minuscule fines that traffic rule violators pay on Indian roads. Fines of Rs.200-500 (USD 5-12) for minor offences do not pinch people at all and degrade the status of traffic rules. If Indians can afford and drive the same kind of vehicles as people in the west, pay almost the same or more for fuel, why can’t they be fined as much? Traffic fines in India need to go up dramatically. Eg: Rs.1,000 for crossing the stop line at red lights, Rs.3,000 for jumping red lights, Rs.10,000 for driving on wrong side of the road and so on and so forth. Fines should really pinch people and make them think again before violating traffic rules.

A pun on the north-pointing sign found on maps, this graphic tries to depict the attraction of or inclination towards the West. Most developing countries (India included) wish to develop themselves like western countries, most educated individuals wish to have the same kind of lifestyle as their western counterparts. If there is one direction in which the world is headed, it is probably west.

This typographical graphic tries to portray the irony of water. The clear liquid that is essential to all known forms of life, that constitutes 60% weight of the human body and covers approximately 71% area of our planet is getting scarce by the day. Scarcity of fresh water has got less to do with increase in demand and more to do with careless use, poor water management, little or no effort to harvest rain water, destruction of wetlands, pollution of rivers and destruction of forest lands. Its incredible how even with rising water shortages all over India we continue to take its availability for granted…

A simple graphic to illustrate what can potentially be done with one (A4) sheet of paper. For most uses mentioned here, the available real estate is double (the other side as well).

One significant difference between developed and developing countries lies in the way they manage their garbage (I am specifically referring to municipal solid waste here). Several developed countries have strict rules and proceedures in place regarding garbage disposal and violators are fined heavily. Proper management of grabage is a strong indicator of a responsible and developed society. To become a developed country in that sense, India has a long way to go. Today, in India, there is an urgent need of strict garbage disposal rules, proceedures and related education. (Bottom right photograph: garbage collection in Sweden. Photographer: Niklas Johnsson, curtesy Stock Xchng. Top left photograph: garbage collection bin outside a South Delhi neighbourhood.)

This graphic tries to portray the ‘weight’ India’s billion strong (and growing) population exerts on the development process of the country. To develop the country or to ‘uplift’ such a huge population, India’s development process will have to be that much stronger, weightier and tougher.