When every rock tells an artistic story
MADURAI: Ancient art is not simply limited to engravings found on Egypt's walls with tales of Pharaohs, or primitive pictographs of Palaeolithic humans hunting animals found in the Peruvian caves. Civilisations across the globe have used art to leave a legacy that breathes on for centuries. While it might look backwards or primitive to the layman, art historians like KT Gandhirajan find these pictographs intricate and nuanced.
'It is amazing to see rock art paintings in caves where tribes lived almost 2,000 years ago. They have documented their culture, heritage, fauna, social interactions, etc. These paintings are a treasure trove of knowledge, and documenting them gives me joy and motivates me to pursue my journey. Rock art varies from place to place and is paired with meticulous changes such as types of colours and materials used. Every subtlety has a story to tell,' he said.
Gandhirajan has discovered and documented over 1,000 images of rock art in 80 sites, including tribal and non-tribal areas across the state. The art historian and researcher from Usilampatti in Madurai, with over two decades of experience, takes up rocky paths in his stride, fueled by his passion for rock art works.
The researcher, currently with the Tamil Virtual Academy, says, 'After Class 12, my father tried to enrol me in an engineering college, but I was not able to make it through. I later got admitted to PMT college in Usilampatti for BSc Chemistry. I later pursued an MA in Art History at Madurai Kamaraj University.'
Gandhirajan's love for rock paintings piqued when he moved to the University of Madras in 1995 for his PhD titled 'Painting Traditions in the Nayak Period'.
As part of his five-year research, he got a chance to visit 40 temples, including the Srirangam Aranganathaswamy Temple and others in Kumbakonam. Fascinated by temple paintings, he used to click photographs, and write about them for his thesis. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete his PhD, owing to various challenges.
'This is when I accidentally met Government Fine Arts College Principal Alphonso Arul Doss, and he invited me to take part-time classes for college students. With his support, I started my journey to discover the world of cave rock art. Though I couldn't finish my PhD, my experiences allowed me to forge an interest in the study of rock art,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
1,000 year old mummy discovered in Peru's capital: Teenage boy's remains found buried; artefacts including tomb markers unearthed
The remains belonged to a boy aged between 10 and 15 (AP image) U tility workers installing gas pipelines in Lima's Puente Piedra district uncovered a pre-Inca mummy estimated to be around 1,000 years old, their company confirmed this week. The remains, discovered at the depth of 1.2 meters, belonged to a boy aged between 10 and 15 and were found in a seated position with arms and legs bent. The body was wrapped in a shroud alongside ceramic artifacts including plates, bottles, and jugs featuring geometric and fisherman motifs, as well as calabash gourds. The tomb has been allocated to the Chancay culture, which thrived on Peru's central coast between the 11th and 15th centuries. Archaeologist, Jesús Bahamonde, director of the archaeological monitoring plan at gas company Cálidda, said the burial style and accompanying objects indicate the site dates to between 1000 and 1200 AD. Earlier in the excavation, workers came across the trunk of a huarango tree (a species native to coastal Peru) at just 50 centimeters below the surface. According to Bahamonde, such trees were historically used as a tomb markers in coastal Peru. Jose Aliaga, another archaeologist with the company, noted that the mummy was found in a bundle and still had dark brown hair. He added that the discovery site was once agricultural land that has been transformed into a residential area in recent decades. Pieter Van Dalen, dean of the College of Archaeologists of Peru, explained that it is common to find funerary elements, such as tombs, burials, and mummified individuals, across Lima and the broader Peruvian coast, given the region's long-standing human settlement and dry climate favourable to natural mummification. In line with national regulations, utility companies like Cálidda are required to employ archaeologists during excavation work to avoid damaging heritage sites. Since 2004, Cálidda has reported more than 2,200 archaeological discoveries across the city.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Astronomy group races against time to vacate Junta House
Panaji: The ambitious plan of the Association of Friends of Astronomy (AFA) to establish Goa's first solar energy museum has come to a sudden halt after the association was directed to vacate its premises at Junta House. It is now hoping for chief minister Pramod Sawant's intervention to secure an alternative space and revive its stalled plans. Citing safety concerns over the dilapidated state of the structure, the North Goa collectorate ordered the occupants of Junta House, which includes AFA, commercial establishments, and govt offices, to vacate the building weeks ago. The eviction notice struck the AFA mid-stride — just as it was preparing to launch an ambitious solar energy museum in collaboration with the Goa Energy Development Agency (Geda). The museum, intended for the open terrace, was to celebrate the marriage of astronomy and solar science. Additionally, the AFA earmarked funds in this fiscal year to acquire a Rs 5 lakh telescope, an advanced instrument meant to elevate their stargazing facilities. 'We need to have the observatory in Panaji itself,' said AFA president Satish Nayak, his voice tinged with a mix of resignation and hope. The terrace at the crumbling Junta House in Panaji has, for over four decades, offered a window into the stars when Percival Noronha, along with Jayant Narlikar, established AFA in Feb 1982. It was then chief minister Pratapsingh Rane who offered the vacant terrace of what was then Goa's tallest govt building — Junta House — to house the public astronomical observatory. Over the years, the AFA acquired more space within the building, and today, it has 556sqm wherein it has accommodated an open-air observatory, a telescope dome, an 80-seater AC auditorium, an astronomy mini-museum, tinkering and astrophotography labs, a computer lab, the Aryabhatta library, a telescope gallery, and administrative and utility areas. 'It took 37 years of struggle for the association to achieve this,' said Nayak. AFA, which has already overstayed the one-month deadline, now finds itself in bureaucratic limbo. The irony is cruel — decades of institutional labour now risk being undone. 'We cannot shift anywhere immediately since some of the sites we have seen in Panaji are under construction and will be complete only in another two years. Even if we find an ideal place now, the Junta House lift is not working for us to carefully shift valuable telescopes and other instruments using the stairs,' he said. AFA is therefore seeking an urgent audience with Sawant, before the monsoon assembly session, in a last-ditch effort to preserve what remains of its legacy. 'We have a certain type of establishment where the dome of the observatory needs to be accommodated. The floor, the building, the landscape — all of it matters. Junta House was a premium space in the city. We are hoping that govt is able to give us some space in Altinho, where the planetarium can be established in a full-fledged manner,' Nayak said.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Time of India
Megalithic era pottery unearthed at village farm in Haveri
Haveri: A research team led by MR Shadaksharayya, a former professor from Karnatak University's history and archaeological department in Dharwad, unearthed Megalithic artefacts in Balambeed village, Hirekerur taluk, Haveri district. The discoveries, found on Mallikarjun Jogihalli's land, include 3000 BC pottery fragments and ancient materials merely six inches beneath the surface. Some findings suggest links to the Palaeolithic era. The research group, comprising historians Iranna Pattar, Nagarajappa MS, and MM Akki, located this archaeological site and gathered historical evidence from the agricultural land. Their findings include fossils of black-and-red pottery, characteristic of the Palaeolithic and Megalithic periods. The pottery collection features carinated vessels, pedestal bowls, spouted dishes, and distinctive conical lids with top loops. The Indian Megalithic culture primarily corresponds to the Iron Age (1500 BC–500 BC), with some sites showing Chalcolithic-Megalithic characteristics. The Palaeolithic period dates to 3000 BC. Previous archaeological discoveries in Karnataka include sites at Maski, Hallur, Chandravalli, Hire Benkal, Coorg, Heggadehalli, and Brahmagiri. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The Balambeed village site offers fresh insights into the district's historical development. "The owner of the land came upon pottery while they were digging at least 18 inches. Not only this, many different types of pottery pieces were found in different spots at the farmland, and these are like those we found earlier in Hallur in Hirekerur taluk, Maski, Yallur village in Harapanahalli taluk. Some bone pieces were also found at the same spot," informed Prof Shadaksharayya. He indicated that these shallow-depth discoveries suggest the presence of substantial Stone Age burial grounds. Initial evidence points towards significant historical value requiring additional research. Former Archaeological Survey of India authority Narashimhaiah previously identified Stone Age implements in the region. "Villages were common among the Megalithic people. Megalithic people cultivated rice, wheat, ragi, and domesticated animals like donkeys and buffalo. Different types of pottery, including high-quality red and black pottery, are associated with the Megalithic culture, so these fossils are better leads to further studies," Shadaksharayya stated. "We preserved the fossils that were found in the farmland. We also requested the landowner not to harm such ancient pieces because they are valuable for study, and they also agreed to this," shared MM Akki, another member of this team. Caption: Ancient pottery and other stone materials belonging to the Palaeolithic and Megalithic era were discovered in the Balambeed village of Hirekerur taluk of Haveri district recently
