FINDING OUR MALGUDI DAYS
“I would rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.” Emma Goldman O ne of the things I have done, during these lockdown days, was watching many episodes of ‘Malgudi Days’. For the uninitiated, ‘Malgudi Days’ was a collection of R.K. Narayan’s enchanting stories set in a humble (fictitious) village – Malgudi. It was telecast as the popular TV serial in mid-eighties. (Directed by Kannada film star Shankar Nag). I remember watching many of those episodes, then. But, now, watching them, all over again, was a different experience! I think, one of the reasons why Malgudi stories appeal to most of us is, that they are utterly simple and relatable. R.K. Narayan had this unique gift of evoking this connect in us… Just as his celebrated cartoonist-brother, R.K. Laxman, had the unique gift of evoking the connect in us through his own craft! A dear friend of mine loves to live in Malgudi village, quite lite...