By Peter Alex Todd

Guwahati, Nov 16 (ANI): An exhibition of paintings based on the struggle of the people who work in the tea gardens was displayed in Guwahati.

Running for two days, the exhibition was being staged in the State Art Gallery by Siva Prasad Marar to send a message to the people about the sufferings of the Tea tribes (people who work in the tea gardens) and the sacrifices while working in the tea gardens.Siva Prasad Marar, who was a tea grower in Assam, has termed the Tea plant as his mother.

“The subject mater on which my paintings are based is the tea gardens and the people working in them. The people working in the tea gardens struggle very hard to get a good production, which are famous worldwide. But the labourers working there hardly get any share of the profits and their wages are also very low; they are deprived of the basic facilities like food and shelter. So, this subject is what my paintings are based on,” said Siva Marar.

He added that tea is considered to be the pride of Assam, but nobody cares about sufferings of the garden workers, neither the government nor the people.

“Everybody knows about the popularity of the Assam tea. So, Siva Marar has given a message, which depicts the struggle and plight of the labourers who work in the tea gardens. Their background is depicted in each and every painting,” said Monika Devi, a visitor.

The tea garden laborers have been facing a lot of problems like poverty, malnutrition, poor education, poor health facilities and low wages.

The children of this tribe are left under the tree while their mothers get busy plucking the leaves, hence education is a mirage for these children. (ANI)