30th April 2026 Mr Mani & Beena
Another ink-and-pen artwork by Mr Mani features a mesmerising owl titled ‘The Night Raider.’ With each meticulously inked feather, the artist conjures awe and intrigue, capturing the owl’s silent power and keen watchfulness. The stark contrast between the bird’s fierce, predatory mystique and its deceptively gentle, innocent eyes compels the viewer to confront the mysteries that lurk beneath the surface.
My encounter with an owl remains etched in my memory, shrouded in suspense and wonder. One restless night in Trivandrum, a chilling, otherworldly sound sliced through the silence, sending shivers down my spine. Panic seized me—I imagined a ghostly presence hovering just beyond sight, the stuff of childhood nightmares come to life. Even though I’d always believed spirits were harmless, that night fear eclipsed reason. Dawn brought relief, and my anxious confession to my mother and sister drew laughter, transforming my terror into a story that still sends a playful tremor down my back.
How many of you believe in ghosts? Across Asia, rituals to honour the dead pulse with centuries-old emotion—part reverence, part quiet dread that the forgotten might slip back among the living. I once asked my sister, with so many ancestors faded from memory, how anyone could truly pay homage to them all. She answered, ‘It’s all in spirit.’ Her words lingered—a clever pun, yes, but also a reminder that remembrance lives in our hearts, not just in rituals. In that way, perhaps my midnight fears and Mani’s enigmatic owl are kindred spirits, both perched on the edge of mystery.