FOREWORD

Man, the most intelligent of all animals, began to differentiate himself from beasts, by the use of symbols, something that represents or suggests something else. The use of symbols is the sine qua non for the birth of language, the most cherished possession of mankind.

Symbols are of different sizes and shapes, colors and hues, and convey different meanings at different times in different places. Tilak Hettige has chosen one such symbol, the very symbol that adorns his name, Tilaka, to explore its colorful meanings in time and space.

His is an exotic photographic exploration of the use of the tilaka in diverse cultural contexts: ethnic, religious, spiritual, and above all, aesthetic. As the reader moves from one context to another, he moves from one world of thought to another, making him appreciate beauty in diversity.

Tilak Hettige's Tilaka: The Spiritual Third Eye , shows his commitment to knowledge and photographic expression. In him I see a genius at work, trying to share his aesthetic experience with others with similar taste, to create a fascinating world of beauty marked by infinite ecstasy.

Deshamanya
J.B.Disanayaka
Professor Emeritus, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.