This is not an AIADMK politician. But he is invoked by Hindus at the beginning of endeavors. His body is formed from leaves, a reference to the party's 'two-leaves' election symbol.
The interesting thing is that the original Dravidian Movement, of which AIADMK is a part, was rationalist, anti-religious. It portrayed Hinduism, and especially the caste system, as an imposition by northern invaders who came to the south and submerged the original southern culture. But since the people were not at all interested in abandoning religion, the politicians have come around.
This is J. Jayalalitha, current Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, a very powerful personage. She is the only living politician portrayed on the wall. She started out as a glamorous film star, the co-star and later political protege of
M.G. Ramachandran, known as MGR. The most adored Tamil film star ever, he entered politics, joining the DMK, the parent of AIADMK. The Dravidian Movement had a number of film connections - it used the mass medium of film to promote its messages. MGR broke away from the DMK party, and founded a new party, the AIADMK. He became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, in which office he died in 1987. His political mentor was
C. N. Annadurai, known as Anna, 'Elder Brother.' Annadurai changed the Dravidian Movement from a social welfare movement to a political party. He wrote some of the filmscripts that powered MGR's career. He became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1967, and died of cancer in 1969. He founded the DMK (Dravidian Progressive Party) after breaking away from the DK (Dravidian Party) founded by
E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker, known as EVR or Periyar, 'the Old One.' EVR was a social reformer, a rationalist. He declared that there was no god, that people were oppressed by the upper-caste brahmins in the name of religion. He campaigned against the caste system. He founded the DK party as a social-reform movement. Unfortunately, EVR, who lived into his 90's, married in his old age a very young girl, causing an upheaval among his supporters. It was after this that Annadurai broke away to found the DMK party.
The last picture on the wall is this:
It shows MGR as a film actor, and is unfinished. He has a ghost of himself beside him. MGR looks disconsolate to me. I wonder what the painter had in mind, why he didn't finish the painting - or, if he decided against it, why didn't he paint over it? If I were into semiotics I'm sure I could find something interesting in the mystery.
One major political figure in the state is missing from this pantheon: M. Karunanidhi, who succeeded Annadurai as head of the DMK party. When MGR broke away to found the AIADMK, Karunanidhi remained, and became the bitter rival of MGR and later Jayalalitha. I'll post a DMK wall someday, when I come across one.
UPDATE: Okay, I've got Karunanidhi, and his son and heir-apparent M. K. Stalin (named for Joseph Stalin), too -- from the website of a better photographer than I am - DOMINIC SANSONI - photography - Images of Asia. (Take a look - it's worth a visit):
The DMK pantheon would start with EVR, then Annadurai, as in the AIADMK; then you'd have Karunanidhi and Stalin.
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