R.K. Laxman was more than just a cartoonist!

R.K. Laxman who passed away last week, is remembered everywhere as India’s greatest cartoonist.

However, my friend Raja Bellare, who had been R.K. Laxman’s neighbor for many years until Laxman’s death feels that this is a serious disservice to Laxman’s memory.

Here is a mail he sent, which I’m reproducing here with permission, for broader consumption:

I am furious!!

Why is Laxman remembered ONLY as a CARTOONIST?

Which, incidentally, he wasn’t.

What about Laxman’s fascination for CROWS!!

His highly individualistic sketches and landscapes!!

His unforgettable reminisces of Russell, Priestley et. al.!!

Laxman was a PHILOSPHER who focused on uncovering human frailties. He let his pen penetrate the plethora of hypocrisy rampant among our people.

Laxman was an ARTIST, who caricatured life’s important moments – simple humdrum moments – moments that passed us by which he brought back the next morning for a re-vision.

Laxman was a RACONTEUR, who weaved stories around incidents that we had no time to see or hear.

Laxman was a MAGICIAN who hypnotized not merely the spectators in an auditorium but a populace inhabiting over 3 million sq.kms.

Laxman was a PHILANTHROPIST who, despite his physical encumbrances, went for a drive in the crowded part of Pune city every evening, felt the pulse of the poor and the downtrodden and brought those perspectives to our attention.

Laxman has left a void which no one can possibly fill.

Raja.
January 30, 2015.

Even I remember Laxman more for the brilliant sketches accompanying the occasional Sunday Times article. His cartoons did not really do justice to his art.

Here is a photo of Laxman’s sketch for the cover of R.K. Narayanan’s Malgudi Days – something my son sees every day since it’s is English text book this year: