Personalities

It all started when my x-roomie from Bangalore,Googie called me one evening to say that Jon, an acquaintance was on his way to Mysore and he had passed him my contact. Googie said “Meet him he is Fun !! ”

And a coupla hours later, Jon and myself were sipping Beer in Mysore, He was in India for the first time and seemed to have gotten used to the madness here. Having traveled 60 countries he had loads of interesting stories to tell. But was most striking about Jon was that he was travelling with out a Bag. Thats right all he carries with him is what he wears. thats it.

Jonathan Yevin is an landscape artist in New York who designs roof top gardens. He works from March to September each year and the rest of the months is off travelling, off course without a bag.He also doubles up as a travel writer, Having authored the Rough’s guide for Ecuador and many more. When I asked him if he doesn’t ever feel the need to have  atleast a small backpack. He said “No, I Never found it necessary.” Jon said that he was appalled when he would see backpackers carrying donkey loads on their back and he wanted to redefine the way people travel. He says “People carry so much unwanted stuff.”  Apart from what he wears all he carries is his passport, his tooth brush , a cellphone, a camera and some general medicine. thats it !! It all fits into his pockets. I know you are wondering about his change of clothes. Well he says that he washes them whenever he gets a chance and if it really gets dirty he throws them off and buys a new pair !!

The man without baggage !!

And if you think he smells well absolutely not. He dint when he stayed over at my place that night. Like every mom even mine is after hygiene so I asked him whether during all his travels if hes ever faced this problem. He laughed and said “Never !!”  When he was leaving the next day my mom asked him where his bag was ? and he said it was in the luggage room in the railway station As Jon would admit that my mom would never invite him to come home again which she did, if she got to know the truth

As Jon left. His way of travelling got me thinking. To think of our lives as a journey. It amazes me the amount of baggage we all carry and how much of it is unwanted.May be there is something for us to pick up from Jon.

Isnt it what they say Travel Light, I’m sure it can’t get lighter.. or well.. can it ?? Its all in the imagination

When I was first introduced to this guy.. He handed me his guide book to Bangalore and Mysore and his enthusasim was sky high, As i flipped through the book, I saw the foreword written my Scion of the Mysore Royal family, I knew instantly that this guy meant serious business (for those not aware.. the common man is not allowed anywhere close to His highness

I happend to meet him a coupla months later and put another brochure in my hand and said “I manage Asia’s only Cricket Hotel” Bat and Ball Inn. As usual when I ran through it, I got to know our cricketer boys Uthappa, Sreesanth and Charu Sharma are involved in it too. I wondered about this guy’s connections. Rubbing shoulders with the who’s who.

And now he tells me that his Heritage Hotel, which is located in Asia’s only Latin quarter,Fontainhas is opening shortly. Now if you are wondering where is Fontainhas. You don’t have to travel to far because its in our very own Goa.

The man behind all this,Mr Mihir Nayak of the Mitaroy iLuxury brand is still in his 20s but is determined to change how one experiences hospitality in India, Having spent a bulk of time in Vienna,Europe studying Tourism and is now exploring his options in India. Probably this is what Indian Tourism needs, Young blood, International exposure, Loads of enthusiasm and above all the commitment to see it through. His fluency in German I was told is truly impressive by an Austrian Diplomat.If you wish to know more check out his blog.I feel that I have gained so much knowing a person like Mihir. Great going Dude !!

As I write this post The Uncommon Man is in our city Mysore, The City where he grew up. And I had the opportunity of meeting this creative personality.India’s greatest Cartoonist, Mr RK Laxman. I have always wanted to meet him but more so off late because I’ve been harbouring this thought of starting a Walk on Malgudi Days in Mysore. With help from Mr Vattam and Mr GVK I was able to locate Mr Laxman in Mysore. I called introducing myself and Mrs Kamala Laxman was extremely kind to give me an appointment, She is the author of Children’s Books having authored more than 15 books, her book “Tenali Raman” was serialised by Doordarshan.

The Uncommon man, Mr RK Laxman

As I entered their Hotel room and took a seat I found Mr Laxman in conversation with an elderly man or should I rather say listening to an elderly man as he was doing most of the talking. Then I realized they were childhood buddies and also played cricket together. The elderly man turned to Mrs Laxman and said “Your husband was a great bowler”  And she innocently replied “I suppose So”  The elderly man kept asking Mr Laxman if he remembered this person or that from their childhood days but I could just see Mr Laxman silently nod in disapproval. Then finally the elderly man asked if Mr Laxman knew who he was talking to for which Mr Laxman very  innocently said “No” The elderly man then asked, how can you forget all this , for which Mr Laxman pointed to his head and looked up in despair indicating his old age. I couldn’t help but notice the innocence on Mr Laxman’s face so much like his creation The Common Man. His outstanding ability to just observe and it put in on paper I guess is what makes him stand out.

They talked very fondly of Kunjappa who I then realised was RK Narayan and the other brothers whom they fondly called Srini, Pattabhi etc. I couldnt help but recollect from Mr Laxman’s Auto Bio The Tunnel of Time where he recollects that when he went to the Maharaja’s College, Mysore to study and the last bencher he was he sat on the same bench as his brothers and saw all this 5 brother’s initials craved out on the bench like RKN, RKP, RKS and he says he would go on to complete the genealogy by marking RKL on the same bench. In 2002 when Mr Laxman was at a function at the Maharaja’s College, He and his good friend Mr Satyan the great Photojournalist would go on to search for that particular bench but without luck. As the elderly man was leaving he asked Mr Laxman  ”So where do we meet next ” for which Mr Laxman pointing to the sky said “We will meet there again, after death”.

There were also some women who joined in and had embroidered Mr Laxman’s works on a piece of cloth and got him to autograph on them and took some pics together. They wanted to send these pics to The Laxmans, and asked for their email id, for which Mrs Laxman replied “we do have a computer at home but we are far away from that world.We dont have mail ids” So the women decided to get their residential address so that they could post the pics. Mrs Kamala Laxman went on with the address in detail saying, Flat number so and so.. cross.. main.. park area etc etc Pune, for which Mr Laxman sitting next to her remarked “Is so much required ? ” Mrs Laxman admitted “Oh yes, once someone sent a post just mentioning Mr RK Laxman, Pune and it actually reached us but I dont want to take a chance here”  Mr Laxman said “We have been there for so long and it helps” Watching all this being told not with air of arrogance but with pure innocence made me realize how they are what they are today for not letting success into your head.

Laxman Rekhas on Laxman Rekhas

As the other guests left I had a few old photographs of Mysore for Mr Laxman which seemed to get his attention and he talked a bit about how he loved skteching in the Deveraja Market and how he and his cricket team Rough,Tough and Jolly played cricket in the Middle School Grounds.  It was time for dinner and I dint want to keep the couple waiting. I got his book Laxman Rekhas autographed. As i left I said “I have grown up reading your cartoons and thanks Sir for making our lives so colorful ” He wished me Good luck. The simplicity of Mr RK Laxman and the sweetness of Mrs Kamala Laxman was profound.

As I was getting back home, I couldnt help but notice that it was Childrens Day today and what better way to celebrate than by meeting the man whose sketches always grabbed your attention as kid when the news dint make sense and even as an adult when the sketches made more sense. From the child in me “Thank you Mr Laxman for your Laxman Rekhas. You are a Genius !!! “