Preethi Vinod Chellappan’s painting – ‘Vasco de Gama’s first audience with the Zamorin in Calicut (AD 1498)
It all started last year when I was researching the history
of the Tali Temple. After getting off the auto-rickshaw, I went to the Tali
Temple offices in Calicut and asked to meet the person in charge to discuss its
history. The friendly man listened to my questions and said they had a few back
issues of the annual souvenirs, which might be helpful. I said that was fine,
and at that moment, a young man overheard our conversation and was working
there. He approached us and added that if I needed information on Calicut
matters, I should look for someone named “Maddy” who writes about the city's
history. I was surprised and, with a gentle smile, responded that I was the
very Maddy he mentioned. That’s how I met Hari-Babu, and I quickly learned he
was Mohanakrishnan's brother, a friend of mine from the Zamorin family. Hari proved
very helpful; he showed me the back issues, and some contained interesting
articles by historians, such as KV Krishna Ayyar, MGS Narayanan, and NM
Nampoothiri, to name a few.
As I was about to leave, Hari mentioned there was another
matter I could assist with. A lady artist had contacted him, asking him
detailed questions about the Zamorins as she worked on a painting of the
Zamorin. Could he pass on my contact information? I said that wouldn't be a
problem, and I would be happy to help.
This was how I got introduced to Preethi Vinod Chellappan,
through the medium of choice these days – WhatsApp. We talked a few times,
discussing the Zamorin, his ministers, his dress, and the palace at length. As
it turned out, she was painting the historic meeting between the Portuguese
explorer Vasco Da Gama and the Zamorin at Calicut in 1498. She had already done
the groundwork, base sketches, etc., and was on the final stretch, but wanted
the work to be as authentic as possible. The questions were numerous, and we
had to dig deep and wide to get to some of the answers, like dress, appearance,
ornaments, interiors of the palace, and whatnot. Preethi’s seriousness and
attention to detail were heartwarming for a history enthusiast like me, and in
finding answers to some of her questions, I learned a lot, too.
Today, you can see the finished painting at its home in
OneKochi – just off the airport, adorning the back wall in all its glory. It’s
well worth a visit, and if you're lucky, you might also get a glimpse of Neil
George’s impressive art collection, which includes MF Hussain’s Kerala series,
Namboothiri’s paintings, Anjolie Ela Menon, Souza, and many others. But in my
opinion, the pride of the place will always be Preethi’s painting.
Generally set in the style reminiscent of the engraver of 18th-century copper engraving in Paris, Preethi’s acrylic on canvas painting is pretty large and measures 12’x10’.
This is how she describes it - Set in the hushed luminance of evening, the Zamorin Manavikrama (à´¸ാà´®ൂà´¤ിà´°ി), receives Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama within the storied halls of Vikramapuram Palace, seat of Malabar’s maritime wisdom and diplomacy. Around him stand Nair nobles, warriors, and courtiers — poised between pride, wonder, and vigilance — as Kerala opens its shores to a converging world. The palace architecture echoes the rich wood-carving traditions of the era; sacred murals invoke Valayanad Devi, the Zamorin’s family deity, radiant in silent blessing. The palace I depict no longer exists; it was lost to flames in 1766. Reimagining this vanished palace through research and reverence was among the most emotionally challenging and rewarding parts of this painting. My study extended to gifts the Portuguese bore for the Zamorin, weaponry, and the golden image of Santa Maria mentioned in early writings — here rendered as a Byzantine icon. Every ornament of the Zamorin — from the conical white headgear (ഉടുà´¤്à´¤ുà´•െà´Ÿ്à´Ÿ്) to the veera shringhala anklet and pearl chain — is drawn from archival detail, honouring lineage and sovereignty.
Along the way, new historical insights reshaped the work,
each correction an act of fidelity, each revelation deepening the journey. This
painting is the result of months of reading, travel, archival study, and
conversation with historians and archaeologists. It stands as a homage to
Kerala’s enduring heritage — and to the luminous artistry that continues to
tell its story.
The person who contracted her to do this is Neil George, an
art lover and collector. The art district, OneKochi, which he built near Cochin
Airport, is home to the magnificent painting featured above. There is much more
at OneKochi, which offers luxury suites, a club lounge, a specialty pool and
restaurant, and more, all designed to host a wide range of events.
Anjuly Mathai explains -The art block, consisting of a
Central Gallery and two smaller galleries called Masters and Viewing Galleries,
is called Gallerie AD 1498, the year Vasco Da Gama landed in Calicut, which,
George believes, was a turning point in the cultural history of Kerala. His
arrival changed everything—from religion and language to art and food. In the
middle of the Central Gallery is a large mural by artist Preethi Chellappan, in
which she depicts the arrival of Da Gama in the palace of the Zamorin.
A few words about the painter – One of the few painters and probably the only woman who does large wall murals, Bangalore-based Preethi is famed for executing her work far and wide, not only in India, but also in locales like Melbourne, Australia. A postgraduate in Physics, a school teacher, and an IT professional specializing in graphic design, she got back to her calling and took up painting. This self-taught artist (her father, too, dabbled in art, so art was surely embedded in her DNA!) rose to fame in just 7 years, mainly through ‘word of mouth’ referrals, and executed several prestigious projects. Starting with a 14ft x 12ft charcoal mural at the ‘Aroi’ restaurant in Bangalore, Preethi continued to paint murals. Altar painting projects followed, and, as Preethi puts it, in the case of the largest mural painting in Asia at Vytilla in Kerala, working on an Altar mural of such height and width required a lot of imagination, scheduling, skill, and tons of patience. This was my first work in a church. Audiences here are the worshippers and my responsibility this time was bigger. Even though I was given a huge wall to paint on, my intention was not to gain all the attention by making it too loud but to keep it subtle and minimal. I realized that the role of my painting here is to lead devotees’ attention towards the crucifix of Jesus mounted in the center of the painting.
She adds that Paulo Coelho’s quote has always kept her going, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
Recently, she finished a project in Melbourne, Australia,
and, to meet the three-month deadline, she had to obtain a work visa, obtain certification to work on elevated platforms, and complete safety courses to meet
various safety standards. In addition, to understand the concepts and details
of such themes, she had to read the Bible several times and learn the
intricacies of different church denominations, their preferences as well as
sensitivities.
Meeting Preethi and seeing the painting
The painting was finally complete, and Preethi invited me to
see it. I was humbled when she took the pains to come all the way from
Bangalore, just so we could see it and revisit some of the points we had
discussed during its creation. Finally, we met on a hot summer afternoon at
OneKochi.
As I stood before the painting, I thought back to that fateful day in 1498, when a distant ancestor of mine was confronted with a question by a foreigner. What should I do? Should I listen to my trustworthy Arab traders, or to the translator droning on, and this scrawny sailor has to say about trade and his King Manuel? Should I trust him? The Tinayancheri Elayathu, or was it the Paranambi, must have been mumbling in his ear about how untrustworthy these blokes could be, just as it turned out.
The painting was lovely, truly awe-inspiring, and the attention to detail was clearly evident as the artist began to explain the finer points. The light streaming through the windows, the pictures on the wall, the sparkle of the jewelry, the type of palm leaf writing instrument, the trinkets brought as gifts by the Gama, and so on... I think the reader should visit One Kochi next time you're in Cochin—it's just a few minutes from the airport—and see for yourself. I was meeting Preethi after a year of correspondence, and it was truly a pleasure. I only hope this humble, immensely talented artist lands many more projects and receives all the recognition she deserves.
Nevertheless, it saddened me that Calicut still lacks a
museum or any initiatives promoting its history, but, well, all of this
requires foresight. Calicut seems happy to proclaim itself as Kerala’s food
capital these days, rightly so, but it forgets the rich history its shores have
hosted—the many communities, the various nationalities, the numerous battles.
There are no signs of grand grounds or palaces, and remnants of its history are
quite difficult to find. Still, I hold onto hope that one day we will get
there.
I'm glad that the beautiful painting has a wonderful home
where people can visit and admire it. Thanks, Preethi Vinod Chellappan, for
preserving this piece of history. She is perhaps the first Indian artist to depict
the Zamorin’s meeting with Gama in 1498.
That fateful meeting in 1498 was one that changed both the
life and the landscape of Malabar, a story I have often written about. Gama arrived at Kappad and anchored at Pantalayani Kollam. I checked out Kappad recently, this is what it looks like, a pristine beach, for those who are curious.
In case you are interested in reading about the voyage of Gama, the preparations, the visit itself, and the aftermath, read this article of mine at ‘Journey of Objects’.
