R.K Narayan

Saturday, 29 July, 2006

Today, I completed R.K.Narayan's 'My Dateless Diary'. It is a compilation on experiences of his American Journey in 1956 (exactly 50 years ago). He narrates more about his meeting with different personaliities, and his work on 'Guide' (which he completed when he was here) but there are few glimpses of the American lifestyle expressed in his own unique simple style. 

The New York he described in it has not changed much. The Empire state building, the Madison square, the numerous streets, all are as they were then. But there are few changes too. Like for instance, fifty-cents was then considered a decent tip to a taxi driver but now we are expected to give around two to four dollars. Then the beggar asked him for a dime, but now they ask for dollars.

As I read it, I felt it a little boring somewhere, but when I finished it, I felt, it shouldn't have. It was like my morning tea has suddenly gone empty. I read more on R K and his works and as I read I felt, I should have read his works long back.

So if you can grab any of his works, don’t hesitate. It’s sure to give you a pleasant reading time.

Trivia -

The Malgudi creator, R K Narayan was short-listed for Nobel Prize several times, someone who could come so close to it after Rabindranath Tagore. His works were translated into every European language.

100 Days

Sunday, 23rd July 2006

Today

8,640,000 seconds

144,000 minutes

2,400 hours

14 weeks

100 days

since I left my homeland...

Rain in New York

16th July - 22nd July 2006

This week, the weather in New York has become highly unpredictable. Though, it is more than a month since summer started, it became extreme hot only at the beginning of this week. The temperature soared to 40 degrees. I still survived without a fan in my room (the apartment I was staying was not having a/c either) - not for saving dollars, but to test my own tolerance level. But, at last I gave up and bought a table fan on a hot evening for 30 dollars. Starting from the same night, it started to rain incessantly!

Yesterday, it was dead dark in the mid-noon. Thunders sounded like roars of some Hollywood beasts. The lightning, splashed through the tall buildings every now and then. "This is the first time I have seen so much rain in New York” said our boss, a person who was born and brought up in this city.  Unlike in our little Kerala, there is no rainy season as such here. It usually rains a little in April and that’s it. But this year it is special. For me it was more special to feel the monsoon like rains in New York too. I already got drenched a couple of times in the past two days and till now the rains have not shown any signs of signoff. Rain seems to have followed me. Yes it is an open secret that we are in love for so long now!

As the downpour started today in the noon (during office hours), I went for a view of it through the glass paned window along the corridor of the office. From 60 Wall Street, 15 stories above ground it was a fantastic view of New York rains in the backdrop of skyscrapers. The gusty wind was making the rain swivel in the air. Down at the Wall Street, the rain drops dropped like bullets smashing hard on the taxis parked and the people running for cover gave the whole street the feel of a war zone. Soon the visibility level went down. The misty atmosphere turned out like a Spielberg Science-fiction movie scene with the camera zooming in from the heaven. Indeed a romantic day for my romance with rains.