For decades the two brothers, R.K. Lakshman and R.K. Narayan have held a sway over the Indian intellect. The story of India can never be complete without the mention of the make believe town of Malgudi and the daily strips of 'You said it'.
Malgudi has come to be an El-dorado for the people of India, it is as fictious a place as can be though it rings true with as much reality through its people and its incidents. The story of this sleepy town is one that would depict very aptly the comings and goings of most towns in the southern parts India.
In Narayan's words himself: "Malgudi was an earth-shaking discovery for me, because I had no mind for facts and things like that, which would be necessary in writing about Malgudi or any real place. I first pictured not my town but just the railway station, which was a small platform with a Banyan tree, a station master, and two trains a day, one coming and one going. On Vijayadasami I sat down and wrote the first sentence about my town: The train had just arrived in Malgudi Station. "
For those of us who were in love with the televised version of these books, the mention of Malgudi evokes the memories of Swami, his friends and their pranks on the banks of Sarayu. The ratteling red bus that ferried people to and fro from this microcosm of Indian existence. The Kalighat Lane and the Grove Street. The Lawley extenstion and of course the statue of Sir Lawley that did rounds of the town. The various shops on market street, with the printer and the hunter who killed people with just the slap of a hand. The holy procession with the elephant that meandered through Malgudi.
Many a times I have passed a station with a banyan tree and I have always wondered if I ventured out beyond the station would I land up in another Malgudi ? I can hear the laughter of Swami, Mani and Rajam and the tune of 'ta na na nana nana na' wafting in the distance.
Malgudi has come to be an El-dorado for the people of India, it is as fictious a place as can be though it rings true with as much reality through its people and its incidents. The story of this sleepy town is one that would depict very aptly the comings and goings of most towns in the southern parts India.
In Narayan's words himself: "Malgudi was an earth-shaking discovery for me, because I had no mind for facts and things like that, which would be necessary in writing about Malgudi or any real place. I first pictured not my town but just the railway station, which was a small platform with a Banyan tree, a station master, and two trains a day, one coming and one going. On Vijayadasami I sat down and wrote the first sentence about my town: The train had just arrived in Malgudi Station. "
For those of us who were in love with the televised version of these books, the mention of Malgudi evokes the memories of Swami, his friends and their pranks on the banks of Sarayu. The ratteling red bus that ferried people to and fro from this microcosm of Indian existence. The Kalighat Lane and the Grove Street. The Lawley extenstion and of course the statue of Sir Lawley that did rounds of the town. The various shops on market street, with the printer and the hunter who killed people with just the slap of a hand. The holy procession with the elephant that meandered through Malgudi.
Many a times I have passed a station with a banyan tree and I have always wondered if I ventured out beyond the station would I land up in another Malgudi ? I can hear the laughter of Swami, Mani and Rajam and the tune of 'ta na na nana nana na' wafting in the distance.
I totally agree with you....the music itself 'ta na na nana nana na" is soooo nostalgic that it brings back all the memories of the times when I used to wait for the serial and watch it without winking my eyes;)!!!! Swamy seemed to be a next door guy to me with whom I could relate so well....Great work by the genius!!!
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