Hidden Design: ‘feed’ those ‘lions’ at the University of Madras campus some paint

At best, it was meant to be an amuse-bouche, savoured before one had a taste of the intricate, heritage architectural design found on the other side of the compound wall. Calling it an amuse-bouche would in fact be an overly generous, even misleading description, if one knew the architectural repast inexplicably grander that is spread out inside. 

It is an earthen design of four lion-faced creatures, open-mouthed and looking in four directions, built into a masonry pier. Two masonry piers with this design are in the compound wall marking off the southern boundary of the University of Madras campus. The lion-faced creatures (‘yallis’ could be apt term) look too “rundown” to successfully hunt for attention.

The masonry pier on which the design sits. The image was taken on October 3, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
PRINCE FREDERICK

It does not take much to rejuvenate them, and along with them the entire masonry piers: a lick of painting. The paint having worn off, the features of the creatures are not sufficiently decipherable now. Before the painting is done, they would do with some hairdressing. One set of them is sporting a collective, unlikely hairdo — a plantlet. 

In the compound wall on the eastern side of the university campus, the same design has received a lick of paint. The image was taken on October 3, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
PRINCE FREDERICK

The compound wall on the eastern side of the campus, which constitutes its facade, is more presentable. This compound wall is an alliance between robust carved granite stones and sturdy metal grilles. The same design (four lion-faced creatures each setting its eyes in a different direction) sits atop two stone pillars, each found on one side of the campus’ main entrance. Being painted, they manage some attention. If the lion-faced beings on the two masonry piers on the southern compound wall are “fed” some paint the way these are, they would manage to find some attention too.

(Hidden Design is a column that highlights minor elements of design and architecture in the city that wait to be noticed.)