Here is the next instalment of Asterix in Asterix and The Magic Carpet. As is expected this cartoon has all the standard brown stereotypes beginning with a fakir who survives on one grain of rice and sleeps on bed of nails, a nubile dove eyed princess, elephants, the famed Indian rope trick, attacking tigers etc. But then what say, the se Gauls are crazy!

For those of us who had grown up with Doordarshan in 1980s India, I am sure Shankar Nag's serial "Malgudi Days", based on R.K. Narayan's short stories and novels was one of those must watch programs. Since I seem to be on a nostalgia trip these days, I have managed to unearth a few links from where folks with fast broadband connections, and an absence of righteous copyright qualms, can download and view a few of episodes of this TV serial, in which the characters coverse in very lovely Tam/Kannara-lish, a cousin of Queen's English.

Here is Episode 7: A Hero, featuring Swami, Mani, Pea, Father, Granny etc. It is approximately 90 MB Real Player file. Also for those of us who went to CBSE/NCERT/Central schools back in the country, this story was included in the English textbooks.

For me personally, one of the special connections that I share with a certain someone is that she can perfectly mimic the distinctive theme music of this TV serial, note for note. And this post is for her amusement as much as mine. Tanaana naana naanaa...Enjoy!

PS: Password required for access is "malgudi"