The Painter of Signs is a staple on many high school reading lists, and any English major can rattle off the main themes in all his Malgudi-based novels, but R. K. Narayan doesn't seem to have the cultural cachet that other Indian authors (ie: Salman Rushdie, Anita Desai, Vikram Seth) carry in Canada. That being said, it is clear to any student of world literature (can you tell what I minored in at UofT?) that Narayan was a massive influence on contemporary Indian authors and South Asian literature in general.

This year's installment of Eyes On India, World Literacy of Canada's film and reading series, will pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of R. K. Narayan and celebrate the influence his work has had on literature in Canada and around the world.

Being held at the Isabel Bader Theatre next Tuesday, November 7, Eyes On India will assemble authors, artists and politicians from across the country, all coming together to pay tribute to Indian literary icon, followed by a screening of Dev Anand's The Guide. Based on Narayan's novel of the same name, The Guide tracks the transformation of a tour guide in Malgudi into a spiritual guide and has received acclaim despite the fact that Narayan himself was less-than-impressed with the adaptation.

More information about Eyes on India can be obtained from the World Literacy of Canada website or on the Upcoming event listing. Tickets are $75 and all proceeds support World Literacy of Canada's literacy and community development programs in Canada and Overseas.

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(Oh and all of you who have been emailing me wondering where I've been, I'll be back to my regular posting schedule next week. Promise.)