The Lungi Project
Anushka Madhavan
Postgraduate Diploma 2024/25
| Growing up in Tamil Nadu, I was raised in a family that many might describe as part of the colonial hangover, families still deeply attached to the remnants of British culture in India. For many of them, looking toward the future meant looking to the West. As a result, children were sent to Western-style schools and raised in semi-Western lifestyles. Over time, as this colonial hangover began to fade, I couldn’t help but notice that India still struggles with a lack of pride in its own cultural heritage. In my effort to reconnect with my roots and my hometown, I began to ask myself: What makes my home unique? That search led me to the story of Madras checks, which I came to see as a powerful symbol of the cultural boundaries India has imposed on itself post-colonialism. The Lungi Project is a visual storytelling endeavour in the form of a coffee table book. This publication celebrates the beauty of the lungi, a traditionally indigo blue, sarong-like garment worn by men in South India. While highlighting its cultural significance, the project also explores its gradual decline due to increase in urbanisation and the remaining colonial mindset. |