Mulakaton Ki Galiyan (Lanes of Encounters), a monthly local magazine, was launched at the KHOJ terrace. The magazine was initiated by Revue artists along with some young women of the locality and interns from the Department of Social Geography, JNU. The team consisted of Sreejata Roy, Mrityunjay Chatterjee, Chetana Naskar, Nian Paul, writer & researcher Rakesh Khairaliya and Vidhi, Bianca, Kashish, Razia, Rodaba, Fatima, Rashmi, Rabiya, Rubina from Khirkee and Hauz Rani.
This was a part of the programme Networks & Neighbourhood, a yearlong community art project of KHOJ International Artists’ Association. This project explored why public spaces in the locality remain male dominated and how they can be shaped to be equally hospitable to men and women.
The monthly magazine hoped to create a common platform for the diverse voices of Khirkee and Hauz Rani- localities with complex demographies and cartographies. Mulakaton Ki Galiyan was an attempt to create a shared space to articulate and to listen to local narratives and create discussion.
The launch was well attended by the local residents of Khirkee, women who have contributed to the magazine and the KHOJ staff. Usually the KHOJ terrace is used by some of the younger boys of the locality to practice hip-hop in the evenings. It was nice to see them participate in the launch and interact with the writers of the magazine. The conversation continued into late evening over hot chai and delicious samosas.