The Common Man Goes to the Village

Birth Centenary Edition

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A collection of gems by our best-loved cartoonist, R.K. Laxman

‘For half a century, the Times of India has thoughtfully provided an antidote to all the bad news brimming on its front pages. It is a sketch, a single box, inked by R.K. Laxman, the . . . sharpest cartoonist and political satirist [of the country]. Each morning, [the] frazzled character, known as the Common Man, confronts [the] latest heartbreak with a kind of wry resignation. Meek, doddering, and with a moustache that bristles like an electrocuted mongoose, he is a witness to everything: scheming politicians, rapacious bureaucrats and gossiping housewives. What is common about this character is that like most Indians, he sees his country being forced through endless indignities by its leaders and yet does not even whimper in protest.’ ~ TIME

From financial crises to the woes of householders, from political instability to rampant corruption, these cartoons capture the entire gamut of contemporary Indian experience. Hilarious and thought-provoking at the same time, this is a treasure house of humour from one of the most striking voices commenting on Indian sociopolitical life today.