Bangalore had an unusual, yet much loved guest last Friday. A highly talented, witty and prolific octogenarian, known to the masses over the years as the creator of the `Common Man' who embodies the Indian middle class.
Clad in a simple T-shirt covered by a snuff over-coat, 83-year-old Rassipuram Krishnaswamy Laxman, the grand old man of Indian cartooning, was escorted into the corporate office of Bangalore Mirror, Vijay Karnataka and Times of India (Kannada) at VV Puram on Friday. Having been in the field for the last two years, the coverage of the event was one of the glorious moments for me as a reporter.
His witticisms, wry humour and sharp mind only added to his charm. The visit to the city on his way to Mysore seem to have made him nostalgic even as he took in his surroundings at the office. As a student, Laxman began his career by contributing to Kannada monthly 'Koravanji' which was published from this part of Bangalore in the 1960's. Laxman unfolded his memories of the city and its life in his typical style and enquired about the ongoing political crisis in the state.
Clad in a simple T-shirt covered by a snuff over-coat, 83-year-old Rassipuram Krishnaswamy Laxman, the grand old man of Indian cartooning, was escorted into the corporate office of Bangalore Mirror, Vijay Karnataka and Times of India (Kannada) at VV Puram on Friday. Having been in the field for the last two years, the coverage of the event was one of the glorious moments for me as a reporter.
His witticisms, wry humour and sharp mind only added to his charm. The visit to the city on his way to Mysore seem to have made him nostalgic even as he took in his surroundings at the office. As a student, Laxman began his career by contributing to Kannada monthly 'Koravanji' which was published from this part of Bangalore in the 1960's. Laxman unfolded his memories of the city and its life in his typical style and enquired about the ongoing political crisis in the state.
The doyen of the Indian cartooning found it difficult to pen a few lines down in Kannada but was a good sport and asked for a pen. "It's been 40-years since I wrote in Kannada. Now I am finding it difficult. I will write in English." When requested to draw a cartoon he was in two minds on what to draw, Laxman settled for his humblest creation- common man. Starting with a doodle, his hand went on effortlessly shaping the man with raised hands and wishing the reader his best.
Not satisifed with his drawing, Laxman remarked "I wish I had done it better," a testimonial commitment to perfection. "I need at least six hours to draw a cartoon and I could do only this much in a minute," he said. Huddled over a cuppa of `Bangalore Coffee' which he thought was unlike Mysore coffee, he chose to be reticent about his further itinerary, except for a few remarks about his alma-mater- Maharaja College in Mysore. "I leave everything to my wife to decide on my engagements," the octogenarian quipped.
Satisfied over the short stint spanning an hour at VV Puram, Laxman ended his conversation by signalling to his attender in Tamil... "Polamma."
Not satisifed with his drawing, Laxman remarked "I wish I had done it better," a testimonial commitment to perfection. "I need at least six hours to draw a cartoon and I could do only this much in a minute," he said. Huddled over a cuppa of `Bangalore Coffee' which he thought was unlike Mysore coffee, he chose to be reticent about his further itinerary, except for a few remarks about his alma-mater- Maharaja College in Mysore. "I leave everything to my wife to decide on my engagements," the octogenarian quipped.
Satisfied over the short stint spanning an hour at VV Puram, Laxman ended his conversation by signalling to his attender in Tamil... "Polamma."
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