Media Release

Mangaluru, Nov 21: Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage’s (INTACH) Mangaluru chapter is showcasing here, the unique historical contributions of the Saraswat Brahmin community through a photo exhibition.

Titled ‘Tracing the Roots’, the exhibition will contain over fifty photographs capturing buildings and localities in the city which were built by the Saraswat Brahmin community. The photographs will be on display at Kodial Guthu (West), in Ballalbagh in the city from November 23 to 30. Small snippets of oral history preserving memories of migration of the community from Goa to the coast of Karnataka will also be part of the exhibit.

The photographs have been clicked by Deekshith Pai, an alumnus of Nitte Institute of Communication, and were part of his final semester's Bachelors Degree project. 

Deekshith is currently pursuing an MA at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru. “The Saraswat Brahmin community’s migration and establishment in Mangaluru has been narrated from generation to generation to keep the history alive, which is why I wanted to show this through a combination of photographs, recorded history and snippets of conversation which is oral history,” said Deekshith.

“Major milestones in Mangaluru’s history include some of the oldest printing presses, mechanized oil mills, hotels and cinema theatres built by the Saraswat Brahmin community, which we have attempted to preserve through photography,” said Nemiraj Shetty, a curator of this exhibition and founding member, INTACH, Mangaluru chapter.

The exhibition will be inaugurated on November 22, at 5 pm, at Kodial Guthu (West), Ballalbagh, by Dr Kasturi Mohan Pai, noted doctor and historian of the city and also by Dr Subhas Basu, convenor INTACH, Mangaluru. Entry to the opening ceremony is open to all.

For queries contact:

Deekshith Pai : 9037633977

Nemiraj Shetty: 9986366355