Bamboo fans, shared shade and pure grit keep Jantar Mantar alive amid CJP protest
Volunteers at work — from clearing garbage to making human chains (Photo credit: Devanshi Mehta, Piyal Bhattacharjee) NEW DELHI: Under humid conditions, an informal network
Volunteers at work — from clearing garbage to making human chains (Photo credit: Devanshi Mehta, Piyal Bhattacharjee) NEW DELHI: Under humid conditions, an informal network of volunteers is holding the CJP protest together.From afar, it is a sea of anger, loud chants; up close, it is a tapestry of care, held together by shared shade and hand-woven breeze.Right at the heart of the sea of sitting protesters, a constant, rhythmic rustle catches the eye: volunteers tirelessly waving bamboo fans over the crowd. Their arms move without pause to push desperately needed air toward those whose voices are hoarse from shouting slogans.“This is our resilience,” said Aman Diwakar, his wrist working continuously.Near the main stage, a 40-year-old woman reaches high into the air, straining to hold a single black umbrella over three strangers sitting beside her.Every few minutes, they swap the heavy handle among themselves to share the burden.Nearby, four young men stand frozen under the sun, their bare arms stretched upward to hold the four corners of a canvas tent, creating a makeshift canopy of shade over dozens of elderly demonstrators who have travelled from across the country to show support.Drenched in sweat, 39-year-old Pooja, a homemaker from Rohini, stood amidst the seated crowd near the stage, tirelessly fanning a group of young students.“I have to be here for my children,” she said.
“My oldest is in Class 10 and dreams of studying medicine. I need to be able to look him in the eye years from now and tell him his mother fought for his future. My husband joins me every evening after his office hours.”While official volunteer registration forms lie on tables near the entrance, most people on the ground simply saw a need and stepped in.20-year-old Arhaan, wearing disposable rubber gloves and hauling a heavy black polythene bag, weaves through the crowd picking up discarded plastic bottles and plates of food with a friend.“No one assigned us this job,” he said. “I saw a few people cleaning up earlier, bought some trash bags, and started helping.”Even the youngest demonstrate unwavering resolve.
A 16-year-old psychology student, who travelled to the site despite heavy resistance from her parents, has been sleeping at the venue for days.Every corner of the protest grounds tells a similar story of organic solidarity.At the outer perimeter, a medical student from Romania sprays hand sanitiser on the palms of arriving attendees.Further ahead, where official police presence thins out near the metal detectors, a human chain of students stands holding hands, guiding the surging crowd to prevent a stampede.“People from all over are sending packaged water, and we ensure it reaches everyone sitting in the heat,” says Dipesh (28), an MBA student who has been at the site for 15 days.“Seeing the crowd grow bigger after the Parliament march gives me the strength to show up every morning.
The BriefWire