I was reading the article below about R.K.Narayan (1906-2001), one of India's celebrated writers of realist fiction. Of course, anybody who knows him will know him primarily by his Malgudi Days - Swami & Friends.
Lucid, simple and powerful prose. To me, his stories are more about evoking that nostalgia, recreating those familiar memories that we all have buried inside. When we used to watch Malgudi Days back in the 80s, it would create an inexplicable pain, everytime. Now when I think about it, it not only brings back memories of our golden days but also the evocative narratives that were very much part of our psyche when we grew up. The reason why I can relate to it is the exitentialist nature of R.K.Narayan's characters. Maybe I see his perspective as part of my own, maybe that's why I've been having a lot of questions in my mind about being right or wrong, about good or evil, about the larger cosmic paradigm that we are all part of.
(picture courtesy: malgudidays.com)
http://www.newyorker.com/printables/critics/061218crbo_books
1 comment:
R.K.Narayan had this wonderful ability to take us back in time..and bring to life all the wonderful memories of childhood..and only the happy ones...!
of course i remember "Swami and his friends" and the child actor Manjunath who brought life to R.K.Narayan's stories..
It is nice to relive those moments of nostalgia...thanks to the legend!
Post a Comment