Much like the last photograph in our series on the F.E. Chaudhry Collection, this photograph is also about women at work. But in a different way.
This photograph, taken in Lahore probably in the 1960s, brings to light many Pakistani realities; some of which have changed, and some not.
Showing an elderly woman hauling a cycle rickshaw, boarded by a family of four, the photograph can be seen as the inhuman plight of an old women left to fend for herself. At the same time, it can speak for struggle of working women who can take to occupations generally associated with masculine strength, when the need arises, rather than being confined to domestic spaces to suffer in misery or beg on the streets.
The photograph also presents a forgotten image of Pakistani society, when it was not altogether uncommon for even working class women to ride or drive on the road. Contrary to the present, when its almost a taboo for women to ride a bicycle or motorcycle, a working class vehicle, forcing them to ride behind their men, this photograph clearly refutes the impression that our society in the past was less susceptible to gender equality. It makes one wonder how we came to lock ourselves in patriarchal prison, pushing half of our population off the public sphere.
Click here for the evolving F.E. Choudhry Gallery at ATP.
The three well groomed children in the rickshaw look like they are with their ayah, another elderly poor woman….adding more emphasis to the class inequality expressed in the picture.
I have heard, but do not know if it is true, that in the late 1960s West Pakistan had all the human powered rickshaws shipped off to poorer East Pakistan, where they are still very much in evidence. Can anyone confirm that this actually happened?
I have never seen a woman pulling or driving rickshaw and I am more of the mind that this picture was taken precisely because such a sight was very unusual, even in that time.
That said, everyone I know says that the streets and countryside are more unsafe generally these days, and of course this keeps women at home, too.
please have alook
http://express.com.pk/epaper/PoPupwindow.aspx?news ID=1100396145&Issue=NP_LHE&Date=20080428
what a shame
This is surprising for me to see cycle rickshaw in Lahore. I thought they were just in Bahawalpur and D.I.Khan and ofcourse pulled by men.
Nadeem sb thanks treating us with interesting posts on F.E. Choudhry.
@ Women in Pakistan were always an example
for the world, her dignity, endeavor, endurance
against the odds, today, she is been constantly
menaced by cultural hooliganism, and vulgar
abuse by the perverse ” industrial ” secularism,
and corrupt Roshan Khayal ” milking ” Bakras .
This is a sad but meaningful picture. Goes well with the new collection you have on “Strong Women” on the front page.
I was also surprised to see a woman driving a cycle rickshaw in Pakistan. Sad that she had to but inspiring that she could do so in the Pakistan of old.
By the way, which city is this? Karachi?