Exploring Malgudi: A Fictional Town by R.K. Narayan
Malgudi, a fictional town created by R.K. Narayan, serves as the backdrop for most of his works. Narayan skillfully portrays Malgudi as a microcosm of India, blending elements of various locales. Geography and origins of Malgudi, along with its localities, landmarks, and streets, offer insights into the rich tapestry of this imaginary town.
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INDIAN ENGLISH WRITING MA IV SEM PAPER XV GOVERNMENT DEGREE COLLEGE PAONTA SAHIB
Malgudi is a fictional town located in Agumbein Karnataka in the novels and short stories of R. K. Narayan. It forms the setting for most of Narayan's works. Starting with his first novel, Swami and Friends, all but one of his fifteen novels and most of his short stories take place here. Malgudi was a portmanteau of two Bangalore localities - Malleshwaram and Basavanagudi.
Narayan has successfully portrayed Malgudi as a microcosm of India. Malgudi was created, as mentioned in Malgudi Days, by Sir Fredrick Lawley, a fictional British officer in the 19th century by combining and developing a few villages. The character of Sir Fredrick Lawley may have been based on Arthur Lawley, the Governor of Madras in 1905
Geography and originsEdit Malgudi is located on the banks of the fictional river Sarayu, near the also-fictional Mempi forest, on border of the states of Mysore and Madras and a few hours' away from Madras.[ Narayan's assertion that Malgudi is work of fiction has not deterred readers from speculating about its actual location being Mysore[, with a river on one side and a forest on the other, and buildings and lanes similar to those of Malgudi, such as Lawley road, Variety Hall, and Bombay Anand Bhavan. Other possible 'locations' include Lalgudi[situated on the banks of the river Kaveri and Yadavgiri[cin the erstwhile state of Mysore.
Localities and landmarksEdit Sarayu RiverEdit Malgudi is located on the banks of the river Sarayu. In Swami and Friends, Swami, Mani and Rajam spend most of their evenings playing or chatting by the river. In The Guide, holy- man Raju fasts on the banks of the dry river Sarayu, praying for the rains to come. When Mahatma Gandhi visits Malgudi, the meetings and speeches are held right on the banks of river Sarayu.
Streets and neighborhoodsEdit Market Street is the central street of Malgudi, the location of several big shops including Bombay Anand Bhavan and Truth Printing Works. Kabir Street is the residence of the elite of Malgudi, while Lawley Extension is a new upcoming lane housing the rich and the influential. Ellaman Street, home to the oil-mongers, is the last street and beyond it lies the river Sarayu. Other streets include Grove Street, Kalighat Lane and Vinayak Mudali Street. Between Ellaman Street and the river lie Nallappa's Grove and the cremation ground. The Untouchables and sweepers live on the lower banks of the river.
BuildingsEdit Palace Talkies was built in 1935 to replace the old Variety Hall. Albert Mission School and Albert Mission College are the more popular educational institutions. There are also the board school and the town elementary schools.
Other landmarksEdit Malgudi has a small railway station which in many episodes, is central to the storyline. The main hospital of Malgudi is Malgudi Medical Centre (MMC). The statue of Sir Fredrick, seated on a horse, forms another major landmark. Another important place is The Boardless, a small restaurant without any board. Boardless is a centre of discussion for current events in Malgudi.
Mempi ForestEdit Mempi forest is on the other side of Sarayu. It houses many hills and caves. Animals to be found there include tigers, members of the deer family, langurs and water buffalo
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