" It is a good sound to read by- the rain outside, the quiet within..."
This was my first non-fiction reading
(other than coursebooks). I read it for the first time in 2012 or 2013. It is a
beautifully written book about Ruskin Bond's life (in the role of a writer)
spent in various hamlets of the Garhwal Himalayas. It's written in the form of
essays, poems, fictional presentations of some real events, and journal
entries. For me it was beyond belief that anyone could write so beautifully
about those simple things, that usually get unnoticed. Trees and their spirits,
flowers and their coming out of buds, rain, and its fragrance, insects, falling
leaves, droplets of dew, day-to-day activities on the road, a knock at the
door, a trickle of water, a hidden spring, daily walks, a banker, a lama,
simple and innocent hill people, and reminiscences of British era. I was
overwhelmed with joy after reading about the extraordinary presentation of
ordinary things and people. This book turned me into a nature lover. I started
noticing bird sounds; I started waiting for them at the terrace; I started
trying to differentiate one bird sound from another, and I brought a lot of
pots to grow plants that may turn the mechanical and dull over-crowded
surroundings into something green and full of colors. And what can I say about
rain? It's always been my favorite. I always find a chance to get drenched in
rain.
There's a memory of the first reading of this book.
When I read the book almost to its
half, the pages of the book started coming out of the cover. I started handling
the book very carefully. But then there was no end to it- one after another
page started coming out, and I have more than 50 such pages in my hands. Now, I
am the kind of person who properly takes care of her books. And this was the
book by my favorite author and the book that I started loving so much. So I was
in tears, literally. I stopped reading the book. I was reluctant to give it a
treatment, as the book was sacred to me and I didn't want to corrupt its
physique by applying some gums and all
But I couldn't stay away from the book
for so long, and I nursed it to good health
And now after around 7 or 8 years, I
am reading this book again, and smiling- because of the simplicity and beauty
of birds, trees, and humans, penned wonderfully by Ruskin sir, and also because
of the memories attached to it.
"Life hasn't been a bed of
roses. And yet, quite often, I've had roses out of season."
Comments
Post a Comment