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Karnataka through T.S. Satyan’s Wonder Eye

By K. Vijaya Kumar, Former Jt. Director of Information & Publicity

My very dear elderly friend Padma Shri T.S. Satyan was an all-time great Photo-journalist of India with international credentials. He has mesmerised people with his photographs and this maestro’s birth centenary celebrations were organised in a deserving manner with his Photo Exhibitions in Bangalore and Mysore and concluded with a handsome Abracadabra ‘Remembering T.S. Satyan’ by K.B. Ganapathy in Star of Mysore on Dec. 18, 2023.

Well, how can I be silent and not add my tribute to this Gentleman-Photographer whose friendship blossomed in the beginning of 1960 when I had joined the Department of Information and Publicity and continued till his death.

A milk bath for the 57-foot high Gommateshwara, the great Jain statue at Shravanabelagola, which dates back to AD 981. The Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony, held every twelve years, attracts pilgrims from all over India. This rare ceremony covered by T.S. Satyan for a German magazine brought name and fame to Satyan at international-level in the beginning.
One of the celebrated stone damsels of Belur temple.

Enough has been revealed about his humane qualities through his unique black and white photos that captured the ethos of the era and multi-dimensional story in every frame clicked. It was the way he communicated the story, in all its glory, diversity and richness. His photographic skills were legendary.

Not many are aware that he raised to the international-level the anointment of the famous Gommateshwara Statue in Shravanabelagola in the very beginning of the event, by giving his photos of the event for a German magazine. If I am right, this picture paid him a very handsome remuneration of that time besides earning him a name.

A Yoga exponent before the Vidhana Soudha, Bangalore, which houses the Legislature and the Government Secretariat. Editor’s Note: Wish this kind of sculptures on Yoga and Bharatanatyam in front of Vidhana Soudha would further enhance the aesthetics of the imposing building reflecting our culture.
A Kodava bridegroom arrives for his wedding.

When our Department of Information and Publicity decided to publish a Photo Book on Karnataka in1980, there was no better person than T.S. Satyan to entrust this job. He being a Kannadiga, with all joy agreed and chiselled out a book titled ‘Exploring Karnataka’ containing 184 true-life photos. Of course, more importantly a 25-page text written by his close friend H.Y. Sharada Prasad, who has described Karnataka, land and its people in his impeccable style of writing.

Sharada Prasad, known for his scholarship, held such posts as Information Adviser to Prime Ministers, Editor of Yojana, News Editor of Indian Express and many such others.

The 22-foot high statue of Ugra Narasimha at Hampi.
An encounter in a Yakshagana play.
‘Somana Kunita’ dancers on their way to a village temple in Tumkur district.

When I thought of remembering him, I immediately opened this book from my library and enjoyed going through Satyan’s photos. Some reviewer has described him as “Silent genius behind his lens”, “Extraordinary eye for the ordinary” and “All time great.”

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Here are a few photos from the book. No doubt, the readers would view them as they were clicked by this legendary Photo-journalist T.S. Satyan.

e-mail: kumarkv59@gmail.com

This post was published on December 28, 2023 7:05 pm