Page - 78 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 07/02

78 | Philippe Bornet www.jrfm.eu 2021, 7/2, 55–86 Another image portraying the “natives” does not immediately convey the same sense of successful missionary activity. Figure 22 shows a re- ligious leader, not in a case of “mistaken religion” but dressed in formal costume and clearly posing for the photographer. The person depicted here is the swami of Shirali, Karnataka, the guru of the famous and rich Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin Math, Pandurangashram (1847–1915). A brief comment in the accompanying booklet indicates that the swami of this “little village agreed to sit in front of a photographer”.40 This wording sug- gests that the swami could have declined to be photographed, and that he controlled the interaction, not the other way around. With the me- dium employed, the group signalled its intention to appear modern and progressist, since photography was probably not a widespread technique in this location – an interpretation that is in accord with the profile of Pandurangashram, who is known for having turned the location into a 40 Anonymous 1884, 19. Fig. 22: Panel 69, “Malabar”, “The Swami of Shirali (Kanara)”, Bilder-Tafeln, Calwer Verlagsverein.