ÓSCAR DE NORONHA
To deter him from doodling on the walls, his mother gave him notebooks, pencils, and pens, channelling his energy into journaling. The little lad started a visual diary, happily making entries almost every single day for nearly two decades.
That was Mário Miranda, a child prodigy. Born in Daman on May 2, 1926, he spent his childhood at his ancestral house in Loutulim. He was probably one of the world’s youngest visual diarists, a rough-and-ready visual ethnographer who reflected the quirks of his society and produced 18-packed volumes by the time he was 26 years old.
Miranda never trained as an artist. In 1943, he left J.J. School of Art, Mumbai, on the very first day and decided to pursue a degree in English Literature at St. Xavier’s College. He had a mind of his own… Why be constrained by theory and history when he had the art in him?
In 1952, he transformed his diary habit into a career. He freelanced for The Current and other newspapers in Mumbai, and hand-painted postcards of the city landmarks to make ends meet. Before long, The Illustrated Weekly of India invited him… and the rest is history.
Soon, Miranda was on his way to becoming a nationally renowned cartoonist—though not the typical political type. Feeling heckled by politicians, he chose to be a social cartoonist and directed his attention to fashions, crowded trains, music, films, the bustling life of Irani cafés, and so on! Everything was grist that came to his mill.
He is particularly remembered for his cartoon strips of Ms Fonseca, the Boss, and his crony, Godbole; the corrupt politician Bundaldass and his sidekick Moonswamy; the glamorous Bollywood star Rajni Nimbupani and co-star Balraj Balram. They appeared in the Times group of publications like The Illustrated Weekly, The Times of India, The Evening News, Femina, Filmfare, and The Economic Times. His omnipresent dog demonstrates his love for animals and his personal belief that ‘to err is human, to forgive canine.’
The cartoonist never ceased to experiment and went on to become a reputed illustrator. He did drawings for journalists and authors and, on invitation, for countries as well. An avid traveller and lover of fine things, he later became a freelance cartoonist to make time for travel. He captured the spirit of every place he visited and endeared himself to the land and its people. He was a cultural link between the East and the West.
Miranda was a passionate movie goer, and the cinema house was his second home. In 1979, he worked as a creative artist on the sets of ‘The Sea Wolves’, a war movie shot in Goa. In 1983, he welcomed director Shyam Benegal to film ‘Trikaal’ in his family home in Loutulim; its plot was loosely based on a curious story of the Miranda family.
Miranda is a quintessential Goan whose classic book of caricatures, ‘Goa with Love’, reflects his devotion to his homeland. There is no Indian like him whose works have transmuted into murals marking public and private spaces that refuse to fade.
The year 1996 saw him and wife Habiba’s journey back to Loutulim, but he never really retired. He kept infusing The Economic Times and The Afternoon Despatch & Courier with his humour for years to come… As a heritage lover, he inspired designers, artists, and collectors. He helped set up a museum of Christian art and restore the iconic Reis Magos Fort in Goa.
Miranda received the Goa State Cultural Award and is the only Goan to have won three Padmas. He also received high honours from Spain and Portugal.
He completed his life canvas on November 11, 2011. India grieved that an icon who had humoured the country and built bridges for decades was no more…
The Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa says, “Death is a bend in the road, / To die is to slip out of view.” Miranda gave him the slip; he turned a corner and stayed with us—in the salt air of Goa and the soot of Mumbai. A great interpreter of the Goan ethos, his works now speak for him, his magic lingering on like a drug with ER—extended release.
If laughter is indeed the best medicine, Miranda can be safely prescribed in good times and in bad. His art cheers the mind and gladdens the heart. He is an artist for all seasons, beloved by people of all ages across the globe.
(The writer has scripted ‘The World of Mario…Seriously Funny’, a documentary produced by Goa Doordarshan)
