Gajapati Kulapati 2 - the Problem with Sequels

The GK prototype

Gajapati Kulapati was not meant to be published. Originally. Meaning, I wrote it almost impromptu, for the book reading sessions Tulika publishers were delighting children with, those days when they also ran this exclusive bookshop for children. I was Tulika's art editor, not the regular sort of literary editor, but the Tulikan space inspired writing, and I had playfully written short stories and stuff.

Sandhya Rao wrote a story and I wrote one. And a good time was had by all kids, including us big ones. Radhika Menon, head of Tulika, asked me to draw the pictures in a giant picture book to be used in the sessions. On your right, Folks! ==>

That was more than a decade ago. Gajapati saw the light of publishing day,eventually, and the book that Sandhya wrote is the bestselling 'Sunu Sunu Snail: Storm in the Garden,' illustrated with love and affection by, who else, me.

Coming back to the sequel problem. We all know what happens to most sequels. Not always as good as the first one. Rarely better than the first. I didn't want that to happen to poor Gajapati and his readers.
The first story took half-an-hour or an hour to write, I don't remember how long, but the second took two years to work up the courage to do it, and a week to write. I wanted to do it right the second time too. I guess that responsibility contributed to a block.
So the moral here, gentle folks, is that, when you do a fun book, don't be serious. Play while you play! For your patience, I thank you, and give you a sneak preview of two pages from the forthcoming book.

Wishes coming true - Gajapati Kulapati

Have you ever done a double take after realising something in life?
'Realise' as in 'cause to happen,' I mean here, not 'have understanding.' Do you remember the wishes you had made as a schoolkid? You would, if you have just passed out of college, but someone like me doing his half-century, or golden jubilee, has a memory like a sieve.

I had wanted to be an artist, but as I grew up and became 'mature,' I realised, ('realise' as in 'have understanding,' I mean, this time, not 'cause to happen,') that I would have to become an engineer like my father. Not unhappily, but was just being older and wiser.

I remember sitting in the school library, my favourite room in the school, with my friend Vijay Anand, who, leafing through my drawing book, said, "Ashok, you will be an artist."
"No, Vijay, I have to become an engineer."

One of my childhood dreams was to write and illustrate a book or a comic, but that dream went the way of all dreams. I studied engineering and drew pictures of lathes and milling machines.

But lo! I am an artist today, and have been that for 25 years. And 'Gajapati Kulapati' a picture book written and illustrated by that immature schoolboy, the boy who managed to thrive inside me in spite of the 'real' world, was published by Tulika Publishers. The book came out in August 2010, and shy me even did a book reading. I don't know about the kids who came to the launch, but I had a great time.

You know, that story was written not by worldly-wise me but that dreamy boy inside. Gajapati Kulapati lives in an idyllic village, where everybody is a friend and people only inadvertently hurt each other, if at all. That is the world I would like to live in.

Well, I have just finished illustrating the second book in the series, 'Kalabaloosh!' Tulika's bringing it out this year.

And what I had originally wanted to say here was, just 'Thanks.' I thank God, the Tulika gang, Vijay Anand the prophet, and that boy who sat beside him. I thank myself too, you know.
Gajapati Kulapati is available here, and here, and many other places.