Malgudi Days

R. K. Narayan was born in Mysore, in South India. As a young man he used to go for long walks, exploring the city and very often he would just watch the crowds in the market place. This observance of human life later became his inspiration when he started to write. Today, he is one of India’s leading writers and probably India’s foremost short story teller in English.

Malgudi was R. K. Narayan's claim to international fame. Malgudi – a fictitious small town in south India is typical of any small town or village, habited by timeless characters who could be living anywhere in the world. They are simple folk, dealing with their lives in an uniquely engaging, humorous and completely human and humane manner. And in that lies the greatness of R. K. Narayan and Malgudi Days.

Rajshri.com is proud to premiere the cult TV series Malgudi Days. The series spans 39 episodes and we will unveil a new episode everyday. Enjoy the magic of Malgudi..!

Little Swami, like all timid children, sucks his thumb and sleeps near his devoted, story-telling Grandmother. Father is quite annoyed at this mollycoddling and cleverly provokes his son into a show of courage: he is to sleep all alone in his office that very night. And so, he drags the reluctant child to the office while the women in the family look on helplessly. A petrified Swami sleeps fitfully ? dreams and reality merge ? but the next morning the little boy wakes up 'A Hero"- with a special invitation to join the police force.Swami abounds in the adulation and praise, while Father is pleased to know his son's photograph has appeared in the local newspapers. Rushing in one night to break the good news, he finds Swami back to his old ways ? one night of manhood is enough for the boy. R.K.Narayan pits the age-old courage vs. strength theory - either you have it in you ? or you don't.

An impressive statue of a Horse and Warrior stands on the outskirts of a sleepy village named Kritam, not too far from Malgudi. Muni, the local goat-herd and his family (wife and two goats) have obviously seen better day. Hunger seems to follow them about like shadows? because the shop-keepers terms are "strictly cash". And so, penniless, dreaming of drumstick curry and other such delicacies, he grazes his goats each day - lazing in the shadows of the great Horse. On one such typical day, an American tourist happens to run out of "gas" near the statue. The unlikely characters meet and an interesting conversation is soon in full swing. The American speaks only English while Muni speaks chaste Tamil. Not a single word is understood by either, yet they go on like long lost friends. Finally, an unexpected bargain takes place between Muni and the American that has surprising results for Muni. The story brings out R.K. Narayans earthy sense OF humor, dealing WITH communication AND the language barrier.

Thanappa is Malgudi's friendly postman. Always a smile, time for a chat, a bit of advice - followed by the inevitable refreshment. But he is more than just a postman to the Ramanujam family. He shares their good news when he brings tidings of it. And sympathizes in their sorrow as well. Thanappa is instrumental in bringing about their daughter's engagement - the one whose birth he had brought news of almost seventeen years ago. A day before the happy occasion of her marriage, a letter arrives bearing news of his elder brother's illness and a telegram follows with his passing away. Should Thanappa risk all by telling the family on this happy day? Or should he postpone the delivery and risk ge

Malgudi's Miser - a man who worships money and who'll do just about anything to save a few rupees. 'Money', he says, 'is like the very image of the Goddess Laxmi - Only to be seen and worshipped from afar. Never touched or spent. But lo! There is an eyesore - loose cash - amongst the brick-like neatness of the bundles in his safe. And wanting to rid himself of this he takes his mischievous grandson to a film - in a nearby theatre where tickets are cheaper and refreshment unavailable. The boy however escapes from this frightening film while Grandpa is engrossed in watching it, enjoying its sheer value-for-money. R.K. Narayan shows the trauma the Miser goes through when he finds his grandson missing and believed kidnapped. Will Malgudi's Miser have to part with his fortune to get the boy back or is this panic a part of his imagination?

Exploitation is rife in this tragically funny story where a Landlord and an Exorcist combine to squeeze the blood from their miserably poor tenants. To protect his loot, the landlord places six kerosene cans one-on-top-of-each-other hoping that any thief might sound the alarm. But the only thieves here are rats - not humans. And who but a cat could deal with these vermin, suggests the Exorcist. The real fun however begins late one night, when a brass pot suddenly comes alive, bouncing up and down in the Landlord's godown, setting up an unholy din. The terror-stricken tenants huddle together ? the Exorcist is sent for ? Some evil is definitely afoot ? and will to come to light !

8-year-old Leela abounds with joy when her parents hire a new servant to help about the house. Sidda, the servant, is a simple soul - but he is all she knows. The Sivasankar family is a picture of joy as Sidda helps run an efficient household and gives Leela the benefit of his experience. One day on the way home from market, Mrs. Sivasankar discovers her daughter's chain missing. Sidda too vanishes. Leela is beside herself with grief, while the parents are busy with their own work, and the Police. In yet another bitter-sweet tale, R.K. Narayan sharply contrasts the innocent world of a child with the hard realities of adulthood. The chain is finally found in a pickle-jar, but Sidda's screams rent the air around the Police-station. Leela's friend is no more.

One dark moonless night… A lonely road… An ancient forgotten temple that lies in ruins, overgrown with weeds. What really happened there? Meet the talkative man who was traveling through with Doss - Malgudi's most safe and trustworthy driver. Something inexplicable seems to happen to Doss when he suddenly swerves to avoid hitting an old man, whom the talkative man couldn't see. And then begins a series of inexplainable events. Could this really have happened? Was the driver drunk? Or is this yet another of the talkative man's fabulous yarns? Truth or lies, one thing is for sure - it makes great listening! It is R.K. Narayan's effortless steering of the vehicle which is the hallmark of all his stories.

Poor old watchman! 'Why' he asks, 'do people come to my Tank Bund to end their lives?' Suicide has become almost a fashion at the small, deep Tank - with the explanatory letter left behind. Death seems to greet him every month or so, till one night he chances on a young lady in distress already waist-deep in the water. The night is young as the Watchman gets acquainted with the lady's problems. At dawn, having said his piece, he leaves her to do what she will. And it is only many, many years later that he discovers what really happened the morning after the night before. R.K. Narayan examines the stifling conditions of the Indian Woman for whom economic independence seems the only answer to her problems.

No one knew her name, from whence she went, or came - for the family she was just 'Ayah'. A willing slave to cook and care for the three children, keep a stern eye on the other servants and to generally keep the house in running order - all for a pittance of a sari and a few rupees a month. The only sign of any family of her own were two hefty, sullen men in their early 40's, who would come to collect a part of her meagre salary which she shares willingly. The story features 'The Ayah' and Little Radha (the smallest of the children) - their unique relationship where each indulges the other's fantasy till one day when the Ayah leaves to become a willing slave for yet someone else. Everyone from eight to eighty will identify with this bitter-sweet tale. For the 'Ayah' forms an important figure in the Indian household. And for the Western world, our central character would be quite, quite unbelievable yet, about a Mother figurine

To Malgudi comes India's most famed archaeologist-Dr. Bandhopadhyaya, a bit of a crank! His equally cranky theories are conveyed to old friend cum assistant, none other than the Talkative Man. The archaeologist believes that remnants of Ancient Rome still lie about the plains of Malgudi - and he's out to prove it! And so the two go tramping around the countryside, looking for these remnants ? till the Talkative Man comes up with a stone image which is confirmed as Roman! The press laud them, the Historical Society praises them, and the two bask in public adulation. Returning to the spot one morning, the Talkative Man chances on the truth about the image-was it really from Ancient Rome? or have our heroes made a slight geographical error?