Vagrants in the Valley

 

Vagrants in the Valley pick up from where The Room on the Roof ends. It continues on the path of Rusty's self-discovery as well as his understanding of the real India. Some of Rusty's friends and acquaintances from The Room on the Roof are not in the story. His friends Somi and Ranbir have gone from Dehra for good. Suri is not there to trouble his friends anymore. And what happened to Mr. Kapoor and Meena is well-known to those who have read The Room on the Roof. But there is Kishen bhayiya to accompany Rusty baba on his journey of discovery of his identity. With Kishen by his side, Rusty feels like a grown-up, having the responsibility of taking care of a boy. They identify with each other. There is Rusty, who once ran away from an indifferent guardian, and there is Kishen, who ran away from a drunken father. Now they are the vagrants, taking care of each other and having dreams to settle down in the town where they belong.

In this journey, several vagrants join Rusty at different times, and help him to realize what he wants, and how should he achieve it. Rusty is a person of such a mindset that he can befriend anyone- rich, poor, educated illiterate, well-settled, or vagrant. He is the most humble character I have ever read about. All the characters of this book will stay in the mind for a long time after reading the book.

Isolation and belongingness are the major emotions dealt with in the book. Rusty experiences Isolation as well as belongingness through two of his very close adults and learns the virtue of detachment. It is through this virtue that he comes to decide what he wants and starts his journey toward that dream.

What keeps the reader attached to the book, is the profound description of ordinary things, events, and people in very simple language. Reading about a trickle of water will soothe your sense of hearing. Aromas of tikki, chaat, golden jalebi, and Punjabi food will bring back the lost appetite. And there is plenty of food for your sense of seeing and feeling. snowfall will make you feel shivering and delighted at the same time. You will get lost in the woods following the sound of the river. You will take pleasure while bathing in a small pool hidden away from the mad crowd of the town.

This book is about friendship, belongingness, dreams, facing reality to achieve dreams, and above all, it is about solitude. I loved this book.

-Ekta Kubba