A Cherubic baby Krishna on a Gripe Water print ad. A chromolithograph featuring Gandhi in a deity-like avatar. Images of Hindu gods and goddesses on matchboxes. When the printing press technology became widespread in India in the 19th century, mythological narratives found their way into popular culture in fascinating forms. Since the development coincided with India's freedom struggle, the traditional symbols were also used as vehicles to fuel the collective imagination of the nation.

This trajectory of the impact of the medium across three centuries is what artist and scholar Dr Vidya Kamat will give insights into during a five-day course, Picturing the Sacred: Mythological Narratives in Popular Culture, which commences on Monday.