A PERSONAL TRIBUTE AND HOMAGE by V.K.Viswanathan,Los Alamos,NM.
The stellar location of R.K.Narayan in the galaxy of great writers is assured by assessments of giants like Graham Greene and election to memberships in great institutions like the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Here we are concentrating on some of the many causes he championed and his insights into the human condition whether it is in a remote village or the skyscrapers of Manhattan in New York City. His concern for the environment was reflected in a uniquely interesting fashion when he chose to give his maiden speech in the upper house of Indian Parliament(he was appointed for his cultural contributions to the country) on the plight of Indian children whom he said " no longer had time to play or look at birds or trees." His approach was beyond age or time or geographical location. To quote him: " It is personality alone that remains unchanging and makes sense in any age or idiom whether the setting is 3000 B.C. or 2000 A.D."
His genuine interest and observational approach is clearly shown in the picture above where he is observing and interacting with my two year old son. It is the same way he was with anyone in whose company he was and most of the time it was the greatest of artists, writers and scientists in the world!
Having grown up in South India the first twenty five years of my life, I am wonderstruck at how well he has described life there in all its subtle nuances and complications .Truly the Rockwell of Writing as far as life in that part of the world is concerned! Everytime I see a goat or an Ayyanar statue in the outskirts of a south Indian village I am reminded of his " A horse and two goats" and marvel at his ability to bridge the vast distance, age and cultural differences between rural India and the most modern Newyork life!
In my view the two Epoch making writers originating in South India in our times have been "KALKI" Krishnamurthy (wrote in Tamil) and R.K.Narayan(who wrote mostly in English).Though he wrote in English his ability to convey the subtle and timeless nature of South Indian life is astounding and one of a kind. I was very fortunate to have known him and having the opportunity to hear him discuss his characters ( all of the are real persons!) with his Australian Publisher from the University of Michigan Press.The Australian personally visited and knew everyone of the characters in his short stories and novels! How is that for the Universal nature of R.K.Narayan's works!
Vidvan.com
