Take a journey across Tamil Nadu and it is hard to miss the iconography of drishti everywhere around — ranging in size and finding a place of prominence on the walls of homes, factories, rice mills, and shops.
Distinct symbols
For photographer Amar Ramesh as well, spotting these distinct drishti symbols of moustachioed men — eyes wide and their tongues hanging out — was hard to miss, and served as inspiration for his book Kolli Kannu: Drishti Paintings of Tamil Nadu.
The book and the evolution of the drishti iconography took the spotlight in the conversation between Mr. Ramesh and Ashvin E. Rajagopalan, director, Ashvita’s and Piramal Foundation, on Friday evening at Madco (a speakeasy bar in Chennai) for The Hindu Lit For Life Unplugged.
The event, modelled after New York City’s Lectures on Tap movement, saw the discussion unfold before a packed audience, who participated when the floor was thrown open for questions.
