Just sharing some sketches & roughs from the Super Hathman, launched last saturday by Karadi Tales..
These are almost a year old.. The retelling by Kaushik Vishwanath is quite fun and the reading by Jaaved Jaaferi entertaining.. tho we hadn't heard the audio till the book was ready, infact didn't even know who was doing the voice! Given that, I feel that there is quite a Jaaved'ness to the character, dont you think?
Hathman trying to meditate.. what do you think he is bothered by?
The story, an old tale about spiritual aspirants hankering after super-powers without having the necessary self-control and humility, is a cool one.. When asked to focus on a simple prayer with a warning not to think about monkeys, the aspirant finds that monkeys start to dominate his thoughts.. he is unable to get a single line of the prayer thru without thinking about monkeys...A hard lesson for a mind that wants to 'own' superpowers! It doesn't even own itself!! Try it yourself!!
Hathman surveys the monastry..
Below kids final sketch for the same layout..
Hathman harassed by the monkeys in his monkey mind
Super Hathman learns his lesson! We may or may not be able to calm our minds from the endless chattering we are so used to now.. We do however have a choice to be humble and thankful about the gifts we do possess.
Just as we may not be able to trace the roots of 'God-given' talent (it is obviously not just dna or nurturing...), we will do well to remember, that's exactly what it is.. a gift from the supreme creative energy.. it is grace and we are instruments of expression for that creative source.
