Photographer Serena Chopra’s ‘Majnu Ka Tilla Diaries’ tells stories of the Tibetan community in exile in New Delhi

The body of work strives to tell the stories of the Tibetan community living in exile in the capital city through compelling photos and text

New Delhi-based artist Serena Chopra’s first tryst with the Tibetan community at Majnu Ka Tilla in the capital city was the result of her college-day quest for momos and dzi-bead jewellery in the 1970s. Years later, a better understanding of the socio-political circumstances of Tibet led to a chance meeting with the Dalai Lama in 2006, who helped galvanise Chopra into documenting and telling the stories of the 100,000-strong Tibetan community in India, through her camera and the lenses of the ones who live in Majnu Ka Tilla. In the form of her photographs, diary entries and the penmanship of her subjects, Chopra now strives to tell their stories through a photobook titled Majnu Ka Tilla Diaries, which was launched recently.

Personal narratives

In the photobook, comprising stark black-and-white imagery, it is the text that stands out. Here, you meet people from the Tibetan community, such as 83-year-old (in 2009) Dolkar who reached Assam in 1959 and had lost one of her six children during her transit; and 44-year-old Rinzin Palmo who walked for 30 days to reach Nepal from her village in Tibet. Chopra, who documented these stories between 2007 and 2015 at Majnu Ka Tilla, says that her learning about the community went beyond their socio-political circumstances. “It morphed into a larger understanding, which is, that at the heart of every community suffering on account of geographical displacement, is the need to belong, have deep roots, grow tall and flourish. To pass on an ancestral cultural legacy, especially to their children. The resilience and strength that emanates from this hope are remarkable,” Chopra told The Established.

This search for identity is reflected well in the stories that Chopra documents in the photobook. As ​​Kunchok Dolma Dheukhan, who was born and brought up in India, says in the book, “Time is running out and in the midst of mundane chores, we sometimes tend to forget who we are.” Chopra tries to bring out the community’s struggle for emancipation and freedom as well as being authentic to their roots, while they live in exile.

The format of the book was based on the three diaries that Chopra used to compile the stories. Designed by Rukminee Guha Thakurta of LetterPress, Chopra’s photographs on one page and the writings of the subjects reproduced from the diary entries help put the stories in context through a powerful first-person narrative. “I wanted the book to have the tactile feel, sensibility and intimacy of a personal diary. Rukminee also wanted the colours of the book cover to subliminally (not literally), be reminiscent of the Tibetan and Indian flag colours,” said Chopra.

Documenting lived histories and memories

Through the years of documenting both the lived histories and memories of the Tibetan community at Majnu Ka Tilla has also seen Chopra observe how “the shacks had been transformed into a high-rise slum, a hub for every Tibetan coming from anywhere in or out of the country,” making their sense of community spirit clear. In fact, when we asked Chopra about a memory from the documenting process that stayed with her, she picked one where she felt “at home” with a family of four generations. “I particularly remember one night when I photographed four generations of a family while they cooked dinner on their terrace covered with plastic for a roof. The makeshift open-air kitchen did not deter them from creating a delicious home-cooked Tibetan meal.”

Though Chopra’s photographs have been exhibited internationally, her intention of compiling the book was to tell the complete story outside of the exhibition format. When asked about what takeaway she would want her readers to have, Chopra summarised, “That, I feel, is for the reader to decide. Their personal takeaway is what will make the book become alive and interactive. The diary pages speak to the reader directly. All that is required is the time that a reader gives a book. That is what makes it precious.”

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