The RK Laxman Museum and Art Gallery.

I was so happy to have had the opportunity to visit this wonderful museum in Pune, in February this year which is a must-see for all RK Laxman fans.  

The single artist, one-of-a-kind RK Laxman Museum and Art Gallery in Balewadi Pune is dedicated to the works and life of the renowned cartoonist RK Laxman. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Museum, which is a collaboration between the Government of Maharashtra and the Pune Municipal Corporation in March 2022.

The museum features an 8-foot bronze statue of the common man, atop the museum roof welcoming visitors.   Inside visitors are taken on a well-curated tour of several galleries showcasing Laxman’s career from illustrating books written by his brother, Rk Narayan to his caricatures of famous personalities, sketches of Lord Ganesha, cartoons of children and his favourite bird the crow. Additionally, some of Laxman’s work that couldn’t be accommodated indoors is exhibited on the walls outside the gallery in the museum’s compound.

An audio-visual room provides a commentary on the life of Rk Laxman, narrated by the ‘common man’ character.  The ‘common man’ was a cartoon character created by Laxman. Clad in a dhoti and plaid jacket the common man was a silent and puzzled spectator, registering the political events occurring in the country. The ‘common man’ represented the hopes aspirations, troubles and fears of the average Indian. The same was carried in a daily comic strip in the Times of India from 1951 and lasted for over five decades.  

The second audiovisual room features snippets of stories from Malgudi Days, written by his brother, RK. Narayan brought to life. The show concludes with the spotlight on a wax statue of RK Laxman sitting at his workstation.

Laxman’s last cartoon was created on December 20^th, 2014. Laxman passed away on January 26^th 2015 at the age of 93. His granddaughter Remanika carries forward his legacy by making the character of the common woman. 


This post is part of the #BlogchatterHalfMarathon2024 challenge. 

Image credit - from my personal collection