RIP Uncle Pai

A lot has been happening around the world lately. The scent of revolution wafting from one country to another, the repercussions of the revolution affecting the superpowers, rabid speeches by dictators, Cricket World Cup, rising food prices, earthquakes and so much more. Often, when the world is so busy covering something so much more important, small news events get buried under mountains of newsprint and sound bytes. Barely staying afloat, with a two-line article or a hastily pasted wire copy. 

While I was doing my morning news crawl, my eyes scanning articles, choosing to read those that piqued my curiosity and refusing to read, 'Vidya's secret affair' and World Cup news. But it was here that I found it. In a place, where no one would think of looking. Anant Pai, dies at 81. 

For any child growing up in India, in the 80s and 90s, Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle were essential companions on long train journeys or on hot and muggy Maruti car drives. They were by your bedside to read just before your nap after heavy lunches on summer vacation, or on the coffee table waiting to be picked up when there was no one to play with or nothing to watch on television. Suppandi, Kalia the crow, Tantri the Mantri, Shikari Shambu were lovable with their easy wit and bad humour. Indian children could easily relate to their stories and anecdotes and what are perhaps the most important reasons, it was affordable and parents knew it was suitable for their children to read. 

I remember my father coming home from business trips, with a bunch of Tinkle comics, he had bought from the Higginbothams at the airport. We would always wait for our Island Express train, next to a magazine stand, so we could spend time rifling through the Tinkles and Amar Chitra Kathas, before we hastily bought a couple for the long journey ahead. I remember writing letters to Uncle Pai for contests, and even getting a copy of the Ramayana (Amar Chitra Katha), with a letter wishing me on my birthday, from Uncle Pai!

It may seem silly but in that silliness lies an innocence. Uncle Pai was 81 when he died and he lived to see a time when Tinkle made way for the Twilight Series and Amar Chitra Katha was replaced by Baby Hanuman and Krishna cartoons.