In other words, the body with its posture, halo and the overall look of the finished image facilitate its iconic function, and turns it into a sacred object/deity for worship. The viewer then seeks a darshana of the image, which in turn, has the power to return the look and fulfill the darshanic function of ‘being seen.’ A close analysis of the different photographs of Sree Narayana Guru shows the progressive deification of his image. This is accomplished by various means. To begin with, this process has to be located in the images themselves, and in this case, in photographic space. The posture, body language and the facial expressions provide the basic ingredients for the new image. Along with these, one needs to consider the narratives and hagiographies that were in circulation among the followers of the movement and circulated at large in the wider society. In the process of the iconisation of Sree Narayana Guru, there were crucial elements such as the yogic posture, the trimmed body, the leopard skin spread out as his seat, serene facial expressions, and the radiating halo. In painted and calendar art, which brought together all these elements with the additional presence of books and the blazing halo, this iconisation reaches its zenith.

Fig. 57		Fig. 58		Fig. 59

Fig. 60		Fig. 61		Fig. 62

Fig. 63		Fig. 64		Fig. 65

It is equally important to observe that photographs and other images of major events of social movements and their leaders that were in circulation were used to spread their ideas and values, such as the claims for equality and respect [Figs. 57-60]. Photographs create and circulate new ideas and practices such as misrabhojanam (inter-dining) as important aspects of social change during the time of the reform movement [Fig. 57]. Such photographs were largely circulated in the print media to spread the ideas of movement and for mass social awakening. The photographs of inter-dining [Fig. 57], of Sree Narayana Guru with Chattampi Swamikal [Fig. 58], and Narayana Guru at All-Religions Conference with a Buddhist monk [Fig. 59], are important in this regard. They themselves became a social icon and qualitative sign in the public domain in their lifetime itself. In this regard, photography can be seen to play an important social role as visual depictions feeded these emerging ideas of new public life. In the contemporary scenario, as these social reformers are invoked by a variety of political and social movements claiming allegiance to them and the precepts and visions of life that they had articulated, these images set the canons that display their ‘greatness’.

The pictorial reproduction of the photographs of Narayana Guru with national leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore further elucidate this ‘greatness’ in their personified power [Figs. 62 and 65]. On the surface, the latter two pictures of actual events share certain common elements in representation. Both pictures tried to accommodate the nature of ‘greatness’ of these leaders (Gandhi, Tagore, Guru) without violating or imposing any personal hierarchy;  rather these pictures show an inclusion of mutual acceptance of each personality and their values [Figs. 62-65].

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