In the compound wall on the southern side of the University of Madras campus in Chepauk, a design consisting of four lion-faced creatures sitting atop a masonry pier would do with some painting. The images was taken on October 3, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PRINCE FREDERICK
At best, it was meant to be an amuse-bouche, savoured before one had a taste of the intricate, heritage architectural design found on the other side of the compound wall. Calling it an amuse-bouche would in fact be an overly generous, even misleading description, if one knew the architectural repast inexplicably grander that is spread out inside. It is an earthen design of four lion-faced creatures, open-mouthed and looking in four directions, built into a masonry pier. Two masonry piers with this design are in the compound wall marking off the southern boundary of the University of Madras campus. The lion-faced creatures (‘yallis’ could be apt term) look too “rundown” to successfully hunt for attention.
The masonry pier on which the design sits. The image was taken on October 3, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
