'...to be true to oneself is to be true to others.' thus says
Ruskin Bond, and proving himself true to his readers, he gives an
autobiographical account of his life through essays and casual leaves from his
journal. Moving from his first piece of autobiography, 'Scenes From A Writer's
Life', this book accounts for his days of establishing himself as a writer.
Most of the book is set in plains, and till now I knew that he likes plains,
but only from the top of the mountain (just joking, I am his die-hard fan and I
have read about his struggle in the plains also).
The first part of the book described his strange kind of love
for a city in the plains- the old New Delhi. I always love reading about his
friend Kamal and the head of his household- Bhabhiji. What a tremendous lady
she is! And then his trips with Kamal, to Rishikesh, Mathura, and Jaipur, and
the way he has portrayed these cities, I have never read in any guidebook or
any other travelogue.
Ruskin Bond's love for Rudyard Kipling and John Lang is felt
very emotional when he writes with a passion about Kipling's Simla and a leaf
from John Lang's journal. And when he goes in a search for Lang's grave, is
beyond description. Even the caretaker indulges passionately in his visitor's
passionate search for something, the caretaker never understood.
Ruskin sir has recorded the charming eccentricities of some of
his acquaintances, my favorite among all is uncle Ken. His joblessness, his
carefree attitude, his being 'crazy' as well as lazy and never to forget his
strange whistling. The way Ruskin sir described him, his character will stay
forever in my memory. And another one of the eccentric friends of Ruskin Bond
was HH, always busy reporting disasters and tragedies to whoever and whenever
she met, no matter on the phone.
And then there is Savoy, an ever-charming and old hotel in
Mussoorie- Savoy. Its ghosts (my all-time favorite McClintcock sahib), its
administrators, its occupants, and its visitors, we have read many times.
And there was the Box Man, who was 'too old to die. He could
only sleep. He could fall gently like an old brown leaf.' I loved this man. He
led his life wonderfully and was moving toward his end with dignity.
The icing on this beautiful cake is the last part of the book,
the leaves from his journal that he kept from May 1997 to November 1997. Every word,
written in this part, is a treat to read. Whether it's about a story, a cheque,
unwanted guests, or media personnel, filling a form for an income tax return,
or admiring and writing about flowers, every simple thing of his life,
mentioned here, is worth spending time on.
This book is an extraordinary description of the simple joys of
life. It celebrates little Ruskin's love for all kinds of food ('If Granny was
the best cook in the world, I must have been the boy with the best appetite);
it celebrates young Ruskin's joy and love for nature and travel; it celebrates
the ordinary life of an extraordinary man- Ruskin Bond.
One of the best books for Ruskin Bond's fans.
-Ekta Kubba
Comments
Post a Comment