Hello, everyone! R. K. Narayan is one of my favorite authors. So today’s post, as is obvious, is The Man-Eater of Malgudi book review. The novel, as most of Narayan’s short stories and novels, is set in the picturesque fictional town of Malgudi, familiar with most Indians. So without further ado, let us start:
The Man-Eater of Malgudi Book Review:
Set int the idyllic South Indian town of Malgudi, The Man-Eater of Malgudi is as interesting as its name. The story opens with the description of the story’s protagonist, Nataraj. He is a printer by profession and loves chatting with his friends when he is not working. His friends – a poet whose verses are completely made up of monosyllabic words and a journalist who constantly criticizes the government – are permanent fixtures in his office. Just as a client enters, they leave, and just as the client exits, they appear gain.
They spend their days talking about various topics such as politics, local gossip, and the poem the poet is currently composing; the conversation is only interrupted when Shastri – Nataraj’s only employee – comes out to consult him on any matter. And when Nataraj does not feel like entertaining any new clients, he very conveniently sends them to the printer next door, to get their stuff printed on the ‘original Heidelberg’.
Now, as we all know, Mr. R. K. Narayan never lets the poor residents of Malgudi live in peace for too long. And so to disrupt Nataraj’s life, Vasu comes in. Vasu is a taxidermist; more than six feet tall, muscular, and with a halo of black, unkempt hair about his head, he can intimidate even the bravest of men. Vasu is a bully; he thinks himself to be greater than everyone else and loves to scare people. He forcefully occupies Nataraj’s attic, and soon starts bringing dead animals into Nataraj’s strictly vegetarian household. Vasu tries to obtain a permit to hunt animals in the Mempi forests surrounding Malgudi, but the forest department rejects his proposal. Unaccustomed to rejection, Vasu rebels and decides to teach the forest officials a lesson.
Soon, instead of small birds and animals, Vasu starts bringing in hyenas and tigers – animals he has killed on the sly. Meanwhile, Nataraj happens to come in contact with a temple elephant of a nearby town. He soon befriends the elephant and grows fond of it. But now, Vasu is fed up of his current activities and goes out in search of bigger game. And as luck would have it, his evil eyes fall on the temple elephant. But Nataraj comes to know of this, and complications ensue. But after some time, people find Vasu dead, and point fingers at Nataraj and his group. Vasu’s death is a welcome relief for them, but it leads them right into the arms of law.
The Man-Eater of Malgudi is quintessential R. K. Narayan. Is has humour, emotions and suspense, and all in a very down-to-earth setting. Unlike other stories, this one revolves around very ordinary characters in a very ordinary place; one could find thousands of Natarajs on the streests of India, whereas Malgudi, as said by the author himself, is a town whose properties are universal. The Man-Eater of Malgudi takes these commonplace object and creates something beautiful and interesting out of it.
About the Author:
Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Iyer Narayanaswami, better known as R. K. Narayan was an Indian writer known for his work set in the fictional South-Indian town of Malgudi. He was born in Madras in 1906, and educated there and at Maharaja’s College in Mysore. His first novel, Swami and Friends, and its successor, Bachelor of Arts, are both set in the enchanting fictional territory of Malgudi. They are only two out of the twelve novels he based there. In 1958, Narayan’s work The Guide won him the National Prize of the Indian Literary Academy.
Apart from his novels, Narayan has authored five collections of short stories, including ‘A Horse and Two Goats’, ‘Malgudi Days’, and ‘Under the Banyan Tree’, two travel books, two volumes of essays, a volume of memoirs, and the retold legends, Gods, Demons and Others, The Ramayana, and The Mahabharata. In 1980, he received the A.C, Benson Medal by the Royal Society of Literature and in 1982 he became an honorary member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. Narayan died in 2001.
Outro:
So, that is it for today, everyone. I am sure you will love reading The Man-Eater of Malgudi. If you liked The Man-Eater of Malgudi‘s book review, please stay tuned for more. You can subscribe to the blog here, and stay updated. Thank you for visiting. Until next time, au revoir!