Kadal – The Sea

Kadal (translates to The Sea in Tamil language) is a series of photographs imagining the dreams and realities of children living by the ocean. Children of a fishing community who have lived by the sea in Kasimedu, north Chennai for more generations than most can remember were the original people of Chennai. The men who went out to sea everyday bringing back thousands of fish while the village women sold the catch at the fish market are now seeing an end to their livelihood as the sea is emptied out by commercial trawlers and the coast begins to eat itself. The tsunami that took place over ten years ago is fresh in the minds eye but even fresher in the dreams of the children. The children, most of whom weren’t born during the unforgettable tsunami have vivid dreams and imaginations about the sea and the havoc it can cause. Nightmares of waves washing away their homes and drowning are common yet an inherent love and respect for the sea is undeniable. A job and a fixed income far from the sea is what most of them dream of besides deadly, underwater creatures among others. There is a lot to learn from this generation, to question what role the ocean plays in our future, why they dream the way they do and what it is that will keep them safe from the changing tides.