{
  "id": 2333399,
  "title": "Illustrator Athulya Pillai’s silent comic, ‘Nanavu’, tells the story of tidal flooding in Kochi",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/illustrator-athulya-pillais-silent-comic-nanavu-tells-the-story-of",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-21T08:05:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/books/illustrator-athulya-pillais-silent-comic-nanavu-tells-the-story-of-tidal-flooding-in-kochi/article71338303.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Kochi, India, a silent comic titled \"Nanavu\" by illustrator Athulya Pillai sheds light on the daily struggles faced by residents due to tidal flooding. The story is set in the coastal regions of Kochi, where life is constantly in a battle with the tides. Athulya, who is from Kochi herself, first experienced the impact of tidal flooding during her time working with Common Ground, India, a collaborative initiative focused on enhancing ecological, social, and economic wellbeing in rural India.\n\nTo gather information, Athulya collaborated with Equinoct, a Kochi-based modelling solution provider, and visited Ezhikkara, one of the regions worst affected by tidal flooding. This experience led her to create \"Nanavu,\" a 28-page book that is published by Studio Niyat. The book vividly depicts the culture and geography of Kochi's coast, using a palette of powder blue that represents the shrimp farms, Pokkali fields, the moon, and the tides.\n\nAthulya decided to keep the comic silent, using no dialogues, in order to convey the quiet nature of the water's arrival and the unheard cries of the affected people. The lack of words highlights the loss and resilience present in the story. The book serves as an open invitation to understand how people in Kerala's coastal landscapes monitor moon phases, fishing cycles, and high tides to prepare for and mitigate the impact of flooding.",
  "summary": "Athulya Pillai’s silent comic, Nanavu, tells the story of tidal flooding through the life of a little girl",
  "key_points": [
    "Athulya Pillai creates silent comic 'Nanavu' to depict tidal flooding in Kochi.",
    "Illustrator collaborates with Equinoct and visits affected Ezhikkara region.",
    "Comic uses powder blue palette to represent shrimp farms, Pokkali fields, moon, and tides."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}