One thing I have come to enjoy here in Chennai is the posters. They are pasted to as many free walls as possible and some have regular turnovers. Every couple of days, the movie posters along my stretch of Poonamallee High Road change. Many walls in the city are actually textured with rocks and gravel to prevent “bill stickers” from posting. However, I’d say that the best wall space hosts political figures. There are murals of past and present candidates and office holders, there are party flags painted onto buildings, and there are great slogans. Aside from the current governor of Tamil Nadu, the most ubiquitous subject of banners, posters, and murals is the man I know as the Indian Jesse Jackson. He looks like him, right? When I find out what his name is, I will update this post to be more truthful. Jesse is everywhere here. I’ve seen his stickers on the back of rickshaws, on the trains, and on countless buildings. I’m planning on creating an album full of him, so when you see me stateside, don’t forget to ask me to see it.
He looks like a younger version of Dr. Bhat; perhaps he was tired of how they worshiped him and ran away to be a doctor in the U.S. Or maybe it's his illegitimate son!
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