By Monali Dam
For countless readers,of all ages in big cities,small towns and villages-Ruskin Bond has been the best companion .He has enthralled,entertained,charmed ,gave us immense joy and even spooked us on numerous occasions ,with his books and stories.His books have transported us to an idyllic world and act as a balm for weary soul by putting a smile on everyone’s face.
Ruskin Bond was born in kasauli in 1934,and grew up in Jamnagar,Dehradun, Delhi and Shimla.He lived in England for few years before returning to India.To quote him
“Being Indian,and feeling Indian ,has little to do with one’s place of birth or one’s religion. It was only after I had left India,in 1951,at the age of 17,that I realized that I was Indian to the core and could be nothing else”.His fondness for the mountains is very much evident in his writings : for dense forests,hills,valleys,quaint people,trains and tunnels,bazaars forms the crux of his stories.That’s Ruskin Bond for you.He sweeps you away to the hills,amongst gentle breezes, chirping of birds, waterfalls,creates a whole new world filled with laughter,one of tranquility and beauty. “Nature inspires me .You can’t have a story without them.For the last 36 years, I have lived on the top floor of somewhat shaky house on the edge of a spur in Landour.My bedroom window opens on to the sky,clouds,the Doon valley and Suswa River.I have had a good life too-in this house and others in these hills;in this land where I was born and written my books and found friendship and love,and a family to call my own.”(from his autobiography “Lone Fox Dancing “)Till present day he lives in Mussorie with his adopted family.Bond was also extremely close to his father and often describes his days with him in his memoir as one of the happiest periods of his life.But due to some unfortunate turn of events his father died of malaria leaving him shattered.
He started his writing career with the publication of The Room on the Roof at the age of 17.Since then he is well known and definitely well loved for his hundred of short stories for both children and adults.Among his many notable short stories one is The Night Train at Deoli and other stories is about endearing accounts of people:people in love or need of love,the awkward adolescent and unrequited love.It offers a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life and fill you with serenity and beauty in simplest pleasures.
A quote from The Night Train at Deoli”To you,gentle reader,I use the old fashioned term to address you, because I like it,because I know the more gentle kind of person is likely to care much for my stories.”He then explains that the world is consumed by cruelty,chaos and wickedness,he didn’t want to write about any of these things.He wanted to write simple,enjoyable books about the small joys in life.
The Night Train at Deoli narrates his experience as one of his train journeys to Dehradun as an 18 year old.He tells us how each summer he used to visit his grandmother’s house in Dehra and had to pass a small lonely station,Deoli amidst the jungle.The train would reach Deoli station at about 5 in the morning and would halt there for another 10 minutes.The author vividly describes the small railway station with just one platform,that was dimbly lit with bulbs and oil lamps and the jungle across the railway tracks would just be visible in the faint light of dawn.No one ever got down or got into the train here.He wonders why the train stopped there and feels sorry for the lonely little platform.As the guard would blow his whistle,the train moved and Deoli would be missed and forgotten.The evocative description display a tinge of sadness as the author laments about the gradual erosion of the beauty of the hills.
On one such journey, the author happens to see a pale looking girl selling baskets.She appears to be poor yet has grace and dignity.Her shiny black hair and intense troubled eyes attract the author.The author was enamored by her beauty and there was mutual ,unspoken attraction between the two.The girl asked him whether he wanted to buy a basket.The author did not wanted to disappoint the girl and bought one.The first meeting ended on a note of gloom as the author returned to his train .The author second meeting happened with the girl on his return journey and mutual pleasure of meeting each other was silently communicated.This time too they parted and the author promised to return from Delhi soon.The author never ever met the girl ever again every time he travelled past the Deoli station.But she was etched in his memory for ever.The unspoken words,the innocent conversations,the pale beauty of the girl,the author eagerness to see her again and finally the unknown destiny of the girl add to the adolescent romance beautifully portrayed.It strikes a chord in its simplicity ,unlocking touching moments of love,belonging and disappointment,thus ending in mystery like a beautiful dream,with an everlasting mesmerizing effect on the readers.
By Monali Dam
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