Through the Painterly Lens of a Tulunadu Maestro | The silent historian of Mangalore’s soul | Through his eyes, the city learned to see itself
NV Paulose, Chairman, Global TV +91 98441 82044
On a warm afternoon in Mangalore many years ago, a young man stood at Hampankatta circle with a small camera in his hand. The traffic was slow, people hurried past, and the smell of roasted peanuts filled the air. The young man waited, watching, and then gently clicked the shutter. That man was Yajneshwara Acharya, whom the city now knows and loves as Yajna.
For more than five decades, Yajna has been the silent storyteller of Mangalore. His photographs have captured not only events and famous faces but also the daily life of ordinary people; a fisherman mending his net at dawn, children playing in the monsoon rain, the quiet dignity of an old woman at a temple festival.
The Early Years
Before photography, Yajna was deeply interested in painting. He trained under the well known artist B G Mohammad. Later, he discovered that the camera could also be a paintbrush, but with light instead of colours. Under the guidance of R J Prabhu Ujire, Yajna found his way into the world of photography. His journey as a photojournalist began at Udayavani, where for decades he became the eye of the city.
Mangalore Back Then
The recent exhibition, “Mangalore, Back Then… Through the Eyes of Yajna,” gave the public a chance to travel through time. Held at the Kodialguthu Centre for Art and Culture, it displayed black and white photographs taken between 1970 and 2000.
Walking through the gallery was like walking through an old album of Mangalore. You could almost hear the temple drums in Car Street, the laughter of college students at Hampankatta, the rustling of coconut leaves in quiet villages. Every photograph spoke softly, carrying both memory and emotion.
V U George, editor of Mangalore Today, said, “I have worked with Yajna for over five decades. His photographs are never just pictures. They have a rare emotional depth. They breathe life.”
This is true. In Yajna’s work, even silence has a voice.
But Yajna is not only about the past. Recently, he travelled again along the Kanara coast with architect Murali Abbemane and writer Deekshith R Pai. From Gangolli to Bekal, they visited places Yajna had photographed long ago. With every new picture, they created a dialogue between yesterday and today.
One can imagine Yajna standing once more in front of the same river at Basrur, now older but with the same patient eye, waiting for the right light to fall.
A Teacher at Heart
Yajna has always been generous with his knowledge. Many young photographers of the region say they found their inspiration in his work. By bringing younger companions into his latest project, he has shown that art is not only about creating but also about sharing and guiding.
Yajna’s gift is the way he makes us feel. His camera has preserved the heartbeat of Mangalore. Through his work, generations will continue to see and feel the beauty, struggle, and spirit of Tulunadu.
