Stock Photo - Portraits of Street Performers of The Kathputli Colony Kathputli is unique as the largest community of street performers in the world. Although the colony, located in the Shadipur Depot area of Delhi, only covers 6.5 acres some 3000 Rajasthani families call it home. Magicians, snake charmers, acrobats, singers, dancers, actors, traditional healers musicians and the famous puppeteer performers which gave the area its name. The civic body who owns the land, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), controversially announced their intention to demolish this special place in order to build luxury flats and shops. UK based photographer, Mark Leaver was so moved by the news he decided to travel to Delhi - living with the community and discovering what makes them so special. To raise awareness of their plight, Leaver has launched a series of formal portraits of the key performers, artists and families in Kathputli. All these people face eviction within the next year if the redevelopment plans continue. Tradition is of vital importance in this culture. Each artist and performer has inherited skills passed from generation to generation. Kathputli Colony don’t learn their trades at school, they learn from their parents. The sons will do what their father do, and the fathers do what their fathers taught them. Named after the Hindi term for centuries-old string puppets, the colony started out in the 1950s as a cluster of makeshift tents which housed puppeteers from Rajasthan. Over the years other performers arrived from all corners of India and began to develop the slum into what it is today. The slum was in a prime location so the performers could easily travel to central Delhi on a daily basis to create an income. However, Delhi has expanded so rapidly that the slum is now right in the heart of New Delhi and walking distance to the newly developed metro lines and 15 minutes away from the business district. This makes the land the colony has settled on highly valued, estimated in the millions. In 2010 the land was sold to developers, the current plan is to move all 3000 families out of their homes and into apartment blocks while the land is redeveloped. Many Kathputli residents are protesting the move, claiming the redevelopment is destroying a vital piece of Indian heritage that should be preserved. Leaver's project was organised in collaboration with, Indian based, non-profit organisation ‘PETE’ (Providing Education To Everyone). He volunteered In exchange for working with them and was appointed two guides; John Signgh and Laxmi Balotia - who translated for the photographer and helped him adjust to the culture. But most importantly they introduced a mesmerised Mark Leaver to the range of incredible performers of Kathputli. Mark said: \Without John and Laxmi this project would not be what it is. The Indian hospitality is amazing. People who don’t have a lot will go out of their way to feed their guests. ‘Guests are seen as gods’ in the culture was a phrase I heard a lot.\ \PETE provides schooling to the underprivileged slums. But the slum which PETE operates in is unlike others in the fact that it is the world’s largest concentration of street performers. This is a great story in itself, but when I realised that the slum was currently under threat of being redeveloped to make room for apartment blocks. I knew that this was the story I wanted to shoot. It also tied in well with the Indian elections which were in full swing while I was there. India’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit! So to live there for a month working on a graduate project with the locals was very special to say the least!\ What is the greatest message conveyed by Mark's collection? He says: \Pride. This series stands out from other slum related work as I didn’t photograph poverty - I photographed performers in their homes. These people have been training in their art since birth, it’s their legacy and what they teach/will teach their children. Some of the performers have travelled the world doing what they do! Kessar Bhatt the puppeteer has even performed in front of the first Indian prime minister! These people are serious about what they do, they’re not beggars performing is their life.\ Mandatory credit: Mark Leaver/mdleaver.com/WENN.com Featuring: Punna Gujat,77,Temple chickens Where: Delhi, India When: 19 Jun 2014 Credit: Mark Leaver/mdleaver.com/WENN.com

Stock Photo: Portraits of Street Performers of The Kathputli Colony  Kathputli is unique as the largest community of street performers in the world.

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