5 months ago
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Take a travel crossed Tamil Nadu and it is hard to miss the iconography of drishti everyplace astir — ranging successful size and uncovering a spot of prominence connected the walls of homes, factories, atom mills, and shops.
Distinct symbols
For lensman Amar Ramesh arsenic well, spotting these chiseled drishti symbols of moustachioed men — eyes wide and their tongues hanging retired — was hard to miss, and served arsenic inspiration for his book Kolli Kannu: Drishti Paintings of Tamil Nadu.
The publication and the improvement of the drishti iconography took the spotlight successful the speech betwixt Mr. Ramesh and Ashvin E. Rajagopalan, director, Ashvita’s and Piramal Foundation, connected Friday evening astatine Madco (a speakeasy barroom successful Chennai) for The Hindu Lit For Life Unplugged.
The event, modelled aft New York City’s Lectures connected Tap movement, saw the treatment unfold earlier a packed audience, who participated erstwhile the level was thrown unfastened for questions.
“Over the past 15 years, I kept shooting pictures of these drishti symbols, not with the volition of having it beryllium a portion of a book, but simply due to the fact that it was interesting. It was overmuch later, erstwhile I saw the postulation of images I had changeable implicit the years, that I decided to enactment connected putting it each together,” Mr. Ramesh said.
‘Universal concept’
He said moving connected the publication helped him conscionable artists who worked connected specified paintings, and recognize however it was an important portion of their livelihood. “The conception of dristi itself is precise cosmopolitan and takes antithetic forms crossed cultures — similar the bluish evil oculus successful Turkey and masks successful Mexico. In Tamil Nadu, it is fascinating to spot it instrumentality the signifier of paintings,” helium added.
Tracing the past down the kirtimukhas or the drishti symbols, Mr. Rajagopalan spoke astir how, successful the 1890s, enamel paints reached Tamil Nadu, and its vibrant pigments met terracotta artists and potters who began to overgarment the iconography, which evolved into what we spot today.
Responding to a question connected what helium hoped readers would instrumentality distant from his documentation of drishti, Mr. Ramesh said helium hoped that it would sparks conversations and animate others.
The Hindu Lit For Life Unplugged is done successful relation with Christ University, subordinate spouse Akshayakalpa, and bookstore spouse Crossword.
In the tally up to The Hindu Lit For Life connected January 17 and 18, 2026, ticker retired for much events arsenic a portion of Lit for Life Unplugged. Follow @hindulitforlife connected Instagram for much updates.
