Into the fascinating world of Poochis

In an interview with us, he speaks about Poochi Art, his upcoming exhibition in the city, and his new book Insects: Guardians of Nature, which chronicles poochis in and around the city. 

It is not every day that you meet someone who loves or talks about insects fondly. But a conversation with someone like Poochi Venkat, who has insects crawling and running over him for most part of the year, you can’t help but delve deeper into the fascinating world of these creatures. 

“I wasn’t a fan of insects. Rather, I had a very neutral attitude towards them. I’ve never killed one either,” he begins. “Back then, I used to duplicate pictures from magazines and make it available for people to hang them on their walls. Once, a scientist who was studying spiders wanted me to replicate a few slides. I just took it up as another job. I wondered what kind of idiot would spend so much time capturing spiders. 

However, through the process, I discovered that she had not only documented spiders but also other insects, most of which I often spot in my garden. That’s when I decided to capture them and send it to her. She had some nice words of appreciation. That’s how it all started,” he recalls. 

In the years that followed, Venkat worked with scientists who studied insects in the rice fields of Chengalpattu. “I have to mention that I learnt how to observe from farmers. They taught me patience, told me how to walk in the fields and also how the colour of my clothes affected the environment,” he adds. It was in 1998 that he was bestowed with the moniker Poochi Venkat, something he willingly embraced. “It was quite funny but over time, it’s become my identity. 

The officials at the Guindy National Park used to call our team of enthusiasts ‘Poochi Team’. Since I was heading them, I was called ‘Poochi Sir’, which eventually became Poochi Venkat,” muses Venkat who will be showcasing his work at an exhibition at Wandering Artist on January 1. He will also be giving free signed copies of his book, Insects: Guardians of Nature , at the venue to anyone who buys a picture. 

“I’ve seen people buying pictures of tigers, lions, other animals and birds, even if they’re a little out of focus. I wanted to prove that smaller creatures too can make for great pictures. 

So, this book and the exhibition have some of the most captivating pictures of insects shot in their natural habitat. I also wanted to convey the fact that despite the concrete trappings and rising pollution levels of the city, the most underrated yet beautiful creatures still thrive and exist here. 

There are as many as 1,000 species of insects in Chennai alone,” he says adding that their conservation was another objective. Venkat’s pursuits have resulted in his fair share of scars and wounds. 

“I’ve been stung and bitten so many times that I’ve become immune to them. Once, I was infected by a virus which doctors had never heard about. They couldn’t find a cure. But I recovered naturally in a month without medication. Now I sit, crawl and breathe with them and nothing happens,” he adds with a hearty laugh. 

As a word of advice for aspiring photographers, he says, “The two most essential qualities to photograph insects are fearlessness and patience. I’d say spend a day or two without the camera and study the ambience like you’d do for shooting animals and birds. 

Secondly, understand the behaviour and sensitivity of insects. You must know what irritates them and get a sense of the speed at which they move. While some insects like bugs may not be very sensitive to movement, spiders have strong vision and can see even if someone approaches from quite a distance.”