Deepavali Card : 2020

{exploring aphorism through letter forms}

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As a graphic designer and cultural researcher, I started the Deepavali card project in 2018. The project celebrates my bicultural identity, Kannglish (Kannada, native language + English), and the Sanskrit mantras (verses) from various Upanishads (scared texts) and Sutras, which are spiritual aphorisms promoting peace and harmony. These verses are usually written in Devanagiri script, but I have been exploring Kannada letter forms. These forms are derived from ancient Brahmi script, and Kannada is the spoken language in Karnataka state where I am from. Kannada script is used to depict the sutra combining with Latin letter forms to denote and unravel new meaning. This project has been my desire to hold on to my cultural history and language for future generations to embrace. 

This is my third card in the series. The Sanskrit sutra on the card reads Virama Pratyaya Abhyasa Purvah Samskara Sesah Anyah from Pantanjali’s Yogasutra. 2020 has been an incredible year, the global pandemic has forced us to pause and readdress our priorities and way of life. Despite the physical and mental challenges, loss of lives, we are striving to accept and adjust to the new normal. The year marks new beginnings in the United States — celebrating the 100 years of women suffrage, and first woman Vice-President Elect — a person of color. We continue to witness the other pandemic — systemic racism. The festival celebrated on the new moon day asks for deep reflective pause to attain a higher level of consciousness so together we can light the lamp of kindness, understanding, grace and peace.