Milk Man

A dusty traffic light junction on my way home has a small tree around which is always stacked those blue plastic cartons which carry packets of Nandini Milk for delivery. One day, on my way back home, having run out of milk, I stopped my bike beside the cartons and looked around for someone. Under the shadows of the tree, sitting motionless on a stone bench was an enormous swarthy South Indian male. 

‘Idhu maarakittidhira?’ I asked (Have you kept these for sale?)
‘Mathyakittidhivi?’ he retorted, ‘Poojemaadakka?’ (Why else have we kept it here? For you to worship?)
Milkman with attitude
I bought my milk. As I started my bike once more, a car behind me slowed down and I heard a tentative voice ask the same question, ‘Idhu maarakittidhira?’
‘Mathyenakittidhivi?’ replied the voice from under the tree, ‘decorationgaa?’ (Why else is it kept here? For decoration?)
Typical Kannadiga male.

Several attempts at drawing The Milkman last year failed completely. The drawings lacked punch. They lacked The Milkman’s enormous presence and attitude. Then one day, a Gumani came home and saw my illustration of Walrus Tea. ‘You know what?’ she said, ‘you should draw these South Indian men as different kinds of animals!’ At that instant, scraps of ideas swirling in my brain joined hands and formed a circle. Thus, The Milkman illustration fell into place. Now he sits among the cartons in the composition, ready to retort. 

Other illustrations for South Indian males are here>>

Gumani interviewed me for her art supply blog here>>
Do you want a tattoo or a rugged handmade sketchbook?
Then check out Gumani's superb stuff at her website over here>>

Character Analysis

I cannot help that drawings of women are invariably accompanied by enormous talk bubbles coming out of their mouths. 

The card below is what Samita made for me. I am so kicked by it I tell you...! 

The decapitated head on the Plum Tree drawn on the card is me. And that is a Pink Plum on on the side. If you pull the ...er, plum, my eyeballs move giving me that Arrey! expression that is just...so...typical.

Have a look at Extension Khirkee here>>

It will blow your mind.