Publications for Disseminating the Values of Democracy, Secularism, Equality and Justice
At a very early stage it was realized that giving intensive inputs to the activists does conscientise them but is not sufficient to equip them permanently. The arguments and the data that effectively opposes the ideology of hate had to be put in black and white. Scanning of available books and articles revealed that most of this literature dealt with the issues of bigotry at a highly intellectual plane, which made them inaccessible to the grass root worker. ANHAD decided to publish primers in easy understandable language. These were distributed to all the participants so that they could use them as ready reference material for giving lecture or holding discussion among the people they are working with.
Anhad produces material in easy and understandable language to inculcate the values of democracy, justice, pluralism and secularism. Anhad’s material- books, posters, Video CDs, exhibitions, leaflets, audio CDs, tribunal and fact finding reports have been very extensively used by various groups, colleges, institutions across India as well as in the Diaspora. Anhad has produced and disseminated thousands of books, video CDs, exhibitions, posters and lakhs of leaflets over the past 16 years.
DOCU-LECTURES: IN DEFENCE OF OUR DREAMS
Due to the limited number of experts, paucity of funds and vast geographical spread of the country it was not possible for us physically to meet all the requests for holding camps or workshops that we were constantly receiving. The hurdle could only be overcome by the use of modern technology. Anhad decided to hold two special workshops, one in Hindi and one in English language, in Delhi. The best-chosen speakers who are considered authority on various subjects in the country were requested to speak during these workshops. Fifteen different aspects were selected. Hence, in total 30 lectures were delivered during these two workshops. Each of these lectures along with the discussion that followed was recorded on video format. We edited and released a set of 15 docu-lectures on March 31, 2004. All the programmes were converted to VCD format for mass production. ‘In Defence of Our Dreams’ has been produced by Gauhar Raza. The Hindi version Un Sapnon ki Khatir was released on March 23, 2005.
Anhad has a you tube channel Anhad India, which has a large number of videos apart from the above mentioned docu lectures.
Hidden Apartheid
A 50-poster creatively communicative exhibition dealing with issues related to atrocities on Dalits in India was inaugurated by the former President of India, Sh. K R Narayanan in Delhi. This exhibition was organized in collaboration with NCDHR. The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) is part of a wider struggle to abolish untouchability and to cast out caste.
In Defence of Our Democracy: an Exhibition
The exhibition highlights those aspects from the Indian history and culture which talk of pluralism. Exhibition is broadly divided into the following sections: the legacy of the freedom movement, the vision of a secular India as enshrined in our constitution, the threat to secular fabric by communal and fundamentalist forces, the myth of minority appeasement and the reality behind conversions, the status of minorities, the attack on minorities, our composite cultural heritage and the need to preserve it. The exhibition has 60 panels. The exhibition was produced in English, Urdu, Hindi,Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, Punjabi and Bengali. It was inaugurated in Delhi by Javed Akhtar on December 6, 2005. The exhibition has been conceived and researched by Shabnam Hashmi and designed by Pervez Rajan. It has been already exhibited over 200 places across India and has been seen by thousands of people. Later the exhibition was converted into a folder in A 3 size and more than 500 sets were sent to schools. The same exhibition was converted into a book size and 4000 copies were printed in Gujarati and 1000 in Hindi. These are distributed to the participants of the training camps.
Many other exhibitions have been created like installations for special occasions: Reflections of a Journey (On ten years of Gujarat 2002), Hum Watan (On Kandhamal), Unseen on Domestic Violence (was produced in collaboration with Jagori) & Scapegoats and Holy Cows (on targeting of minorities in the name of terror).
ANHAD LIBRARY OF BOOKS & FILMS
ANHAD has been screening films as part of the democratic training workshops as well as organising regular film shows at the Anhad office premises for youth and general audiences. In both cultural action for secular democracy and political education, in contemporary times film and video are powerful instruments of communication and pedagogy. Anhad has therefore joined hands with socially committed filmmakers to widely screen as well as circulate politically sensitive and relevant cinema. In addition, within its resource constraints, it has also tried to produce short films on themes like fascism.
In its present repertoire are the following films, many of which constitute landmarks in the cultural expression and resistance for secular democracy. We hope to continuously expand our collection, with the solidarity of filmmakers with whom we share a political solidarity.
Most of our books are now out of print due to paucity of funds.