Remember the days when the first thing you’d look for at the breakfast table was a newspaper, and then flip straight to the comic strip section? Funny and sharp, they seemed just the perfect start to our mornings.
If you’re already nostalgic, Aarthi Parthasarathy and Kaveri Gopalakrishnan’s Urban Lore is the next thing you should be reading to compound the ride down memory lane.
What is Urban Lore?
This web comic discusses urban life in changing cities; indeed, it is a consequence of the incessant intimate interactions between people and their city, each resulting in a new definition of the latter. Each strip therefore tackles instances of how the transformation of cities over time affects the daily lives of citizens through observations that are smart, wry, relatable and very, very funny.
In an interview with The Deccan Chronicle, Gopalakrishnan explains how dramatic the change in Bengaluru has been. Whether the demolishment of old buildings or replacement of beautiful structures with commercialized shopping centres, globalization or deforestation, everything has played a part in shaping the idiosyncrasies of an urban citizen’s life.
The underlying tone of sarcasm in their web series mocks us for turning a blind eye to these changes, driving home the point that we are equally responsible for bringing the changes in the cities as the cities are in us.
A case in point: in one of Urban Lore‘s episodes, the creators show how one of the most mechanical activities of the working class – The Great Indian Commute – are now no less than a battle, given the terrible traffic, mood swings of auto drivers and the crowd in the public transports.
Why you should read Urban Lore?
Urban Lore’s way of talking about the transition of cities such as Bangalore to Bengaluru and Gurgaon to Gurugram through graphic stories stands out, thanks to their intriguing narrative and illustrative style. The series is bound to strike a chord with you thanks to a perfect balance of humor and sarcasm you can endure while peacefully living in your own perception of urban life.
To browse Urban Lore, head over to the site as well as their Facebook page for more.
Written by Shreya Shashank
Image Credit: Urban Lore
