MYSURU: It's been nearly a century since
RK Narayan came to Mysuru.
"The hilly roads of the city, seeming to go up and down, fascinated me, and the outline of
Chamundi Hill illuminated at night had an air of shimmering mystery. The sky seemed to be more colourful and intimate, and the great number of trees all along the roads made passage to the school each day a delightful experience," he once wrote.
Mysore has become Mysuru, and many of the places that Narayan visited on his daily walks no longer exist. But enough of them still exist, even if they have been transformed by technology and the passage of time.
And there are people who still remember the author, with his umbrella and dhoti, as he went about the city, observing the tide of humanity that provided so many unforgettable characters, from printers and financial experts to astrologers and shopkeepers, that he used to people Malgudi.