Interpreting Sangam poems through art series

Connecting with them, Deepak understood that Tamils there celebrate festivals differently. He got introduced to Sangam literature and wanted to give people a piece of history through art. Deepak initiated an online series where he shares Sangam poetry through the concept of art and storytelling. “Instead of selecting other platforms like theatre or documentary, I took art as the medium to translate Sangam poems. I felt that the public could easily relate to it. I have been collaborating with various artists for this project. We started the series with scenes from Tamil classical poems with vazhthukal (the Tamil way of greeting with blessings) to the beautiful emotion of love. In the first illustration, we have taken inspiration from archeological artefacts from Keezhadi, Kongu, Kerala and Harappa Mohenjodaro sites. The first artwork was from Kurunthogai, Verse 40 that speaks about rain and red water. We are sharing the Sangam poems through detailed illustrations,” says Deepak. 

The youngster points out that he got attracted to Sangam literature because he could experience minimalism and the evolution of human thought. Deepak has also portrayed variations of silambu, an important Sangam age anklet, in the series.