The Causeway Across the Vaigai River 1858

Linnaeus Tripe captured this albumen print of the Causeway across the Vaigai River, likely in the 1850s. The Causeway, marked by pillars, leads our eye towards the distant temple, a symbolic pathway to the divine. Consider the 'axis mundi,' or world axis, a motif seen across cultures, from the Tower of Babel to the maypole. Here, the Causeway serves as such an axis, physically and spiritually connecting the earthly realm to the celestial. These pillars evoke the ancient Egyptian obelisks, or the Roman columns—both symbols of power, stability, and connection to the heavens. The temple, with its towering form, resonates with the collective human desire to reach beyond our mortal existence. The way this image is constructed seems to elicit a deep, subconscious response, triggering our shared memories of seeking higher meaning. The temple on the horizon is like a mirage, and speaks to our longing for spiritual resolution. The pillars, too, offer a cyclical, non-linear progression. They mark a path to a destination that is both physical and deeply symbolic.