RUSKIN BOND, THE INDIAN AUTHOR OF BRITISH ORIGIN WHO HAS ALWAYS WRITTEN ABOUT INDIA AND ITS PEOPLE, TURNED 84 SATURDAY
Arindam Ganguly, OP
Bhubaneswar: Ruskin Bond has entertained and moved many of us through his books and stories, especially ‘The Room on The Roof’, ‘The Blue Umbrella’, ‘A Flight of Pigeons’ and others. He has been writing for the last 67 years and has been conferred the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. Well-known for his classic tales for children, Ruskin Bond turned 84, Saturday (May 19). Orissa POST undertook a journey down the memory lane on this occasion and spoke to some of his fans to learn why he still remains their favourite.
A teacher in a city college Bidya Singh said, “‘The blue Umbrella’ is my favourite Ruskin Bond book because the character of Binya takes everyone back to their childhood memories. As a result, the story touches everyone’s heart. On the other hand, the evil designs of Ram Bharosa makes us wonder how mean people can be. It also makes us aware to be careful about one’s self.
Chiranjeev Roy, a city-based engineer, said ‘The Night Train to Deoli,’ a collection of short stories, was his favourite book. “I loved the story about a girl at Deoli (a railway station near Dehradun) where she sells oranges at the platform. The author has depicted the girl’s character so vividly that the reader can easily visualise her as well as the setting. Bond has written it in first person where he is traveling to Dehradun to his grandmother’s house and falls in love with the girl on seeing her and her smile. He thinks about her throughout his holiday. While returning, he doesn’t find the girl at the station and alights from the train to ask the station master and stall owners about her whereabouts. Here the writer has created such a chaos that even the reader feels like searching the girl. Ultimately, when he finds the girl, he returns home after helping her. Bond has always had written about Indian beauty, love, sorrow, society and how people get attached to each other.
Chandrani Bhattacharya, software professional, said that ‘The Chakrata Cat,’ another short story compilation, is her favourite book because she loves the story of animals in the wilderness and their lonely struggle for survival against humans. “I find this book captivating. ‘The Chakrata Cat’ will keep the reader enthralled till the end,” she said.
‘Rusty, the Boy from the Hills’ is close to Srabani Samnta’s heart because this book which I helps to unwind me after a long, hard day. “This book helps me to escape the hard realities of life. It is a very happy read that will keep one engaged throughout.” The story revolves around Rusty, a curious, sensitive and lonely boy. Rusty’s house is not like a normal house because his grandfather is fond of keeping strange pets. Although Rusty doesn’t like adventures and uncertainty in life, unusual things keep happening to him. “Bond’s love for nature has given us yet another jewel which can be read again and again,” Srabani observed.
Mamata Patnaik said ‘The Room on the Roof’ is her favourite Bond book, which is based on his friends and the time he spent in a rented room in Dehradun. The novel takes the reader on a journey of the countryside, seen through the eyes of a 16-year-old boy called Rusty. Unhappy with his guardian, Rusty dares to move out into the unseen countryside, where he meets Meena, his guardian’s wife, who gives him a room on the roof of their house. “The novel is funny, adventurous, sad and moving. It is a masterpiece,” Mamata said.
