Down The Memory Lane
by K. Vijaya Kumar, Former Jt. Director of Information & Publicity
Elder one had left behind ‘Malgudi’; Now, younger one leaves behind ‘Common Man’
I recollect here what R.K. Narayan (RKN) and R.K. Laxman (RKL) have left behind for Karnataka through a Travelogue of the State titled ‘The Emerald Route’ — text by RKN and sketches by RKL — commissioned to produce by the State through my Department of Information and Publicity, which was first published in 1977.
As I was a little close to R.K. Narayan during my long tenure in Mysuru, I took the then Director of the Information Department Chiranjiv Singh to the author. It was Singh’s idea to include sketches by R.K. Laxman who agreed for it and both the brothers travelled across Karnataka to have first-hand experience of the people and places.
Look at the love of brothers towards Mysuru: RKN says, ‘I feel thankful to Heavens for placing me there.’ RKL tells, ‘It is my Mysuru where I was born, brought up and educated.’
Later, I think, I had an occasion to meet R.K. Laxman with T.S. Satyan, who was a close associate of him, at RKN’s residence in Yadavagiri. It was an evening where both the brothers were enjoying sitting outside in the garden and we joined them.
How can I forget that evening in the company of the three eminent personalities. The star attraction was Laxman as he was a continuous conversationalist. Chiranjiv Singh has described him as — ‘He was like a bottle of champagne, bubbling all the time’ (In his tribute).
Getting his autograph for the book: Again it was in 2006, I happened to meet Laxman with T.S. Satyan very briefly at Hotel Metropole. It was a morning and he was just coming out of his room in the wheelchair pushed by his wife Kamala. I just could not see him in that condition (as my memory went back about 20 years ago remembering the time spent with him).
Still he smiled when he saw Satyan for whom he was waiting to go to Chamundi Hill. When I was introduced, he tried to recollect our meeting. I had carried with me my personal copy of ‘The Emerald Route’ and requested to autograph it which he obliged. Satyan quietly asked him to draw a sketch for one of his cartoons collection book which he was carrying (as desired by his wife Rathna). He drew a sketch of Ganapathy within a minute or two. I could see his skilful fingers working even sitting from his wheelchair.
Shobhaa De, the popular writer, who was a family friend of Laxman, has written in her column that the last official cartoon he drew was in Dec. 2014 to commemorate 100 days of MOM in Martian Orbit. The drawing shows the Common Man marching forward holding the tricolor; with the blood-red planet at his feet, like a gigantic football waiting to be kicked.
He had suffered two strokes by then, still his agile mind was working, she says and ends her column with this tribute to the genius:
“An uncommon genius has bowed out after a glorious innings. Perhaps he’s busy caricaturing God? Let’s hope God has a better sense of humour than some of Laxman’s subjects on earth. And let’s also hope his host in Heaven stocks premium Scotch.” (He was fond of Scotch).
e-mail: kumarkv59@gmail.com
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Monday – February 16th, 2015