A town called Dehra – Memories of Ruskin Bond’s Hometown

‘The past is always with us, for it feeds the present’ – Quote from the memoir

‘A town called Dehra’ is reminiscence of a sleepy town called Dehradun where author Ruskin Bond spent his boyhood as well as adolescent days. The characters in this memoir are Ruskin Bond’s relatives, his friends, love interest and the common masses residing in Dehra. From penning the memories of his father & granny to describing the scenic beauty of Dehra, Ruskin Bond has breathed life in the sleepy town called Dehra. What is so special about this book? The pages of this memoir are filled with the rare yester year photos of Ruskin Bond’s family (granny, siblings, friends and his mother). Sadly, there is no photograph of Ruskin Bond’s father in this memoir. In every book of Ruskin, his father has been mentioned in one or other short story. Even in this book, Ruskin reminiscences his long lost father in the first chapter. 

As you gaze at these photos, you will feel a personal connect to them. The pre-independent Dehra was different from the present times. Filled with flower gardens, litchi trees, ponds, valleys, Dehra was a town of the ordinary people. Very few books mention about the struggles of common people and Ruskin Bond’s books highlights the pathos of these ordinary masses. His popular short story ‘Garlands on his brow’ depicts the pain of a forgotten wrestler called Hassan. A popular wrestler Hassan succumbs to the charm of a flirtatious Maharani and what follows later is his fading charisma as a wrestler in the arena. Hassan is forgotten, ignored by his admirers and this ignorance claims the life of this unsung wrestler of Dehra. Ruskin Bond has even penned his fondness for cinema halls of Dehra in this memoir. He recounts his best days of watching movies in Odeon theatre at Dehra. Through this memoir, Ruskin Bond takes you on a trip to Dehra where you will see Dilaram Bazaar, the famous market place where Rusty and his friends relished on road side snacks. If you have read ‘The room on the roof’ and ‘Rusty Runs away’, you will be familiar with Somi and Daljit. In this memoir, Ruskin Bond has personally shared the actual photos of his friends. What captivated me to read this book was the short story ‘The last Tonga ride’ which recounts Ruskin’s fondness for Tonga rides and his friendly bonding with the Tonga driver Bansi lal.

A single reading session is not enough to savor on the nostalgic treat offered by Ruskin Bond in this memoir. This memoir is especially been written for those people who have fondness for past. If you are away from your hometown, you are sure to break in tears of joy and sadness when you read the chapters. When I was reading the chapters in this memoir, it reminded me of own hometown, my uncle’s little room, cousin brothers who pampered me with their unconditional affection. Sadly the hometown is more of a ghost town as all my relatives have departed. What remained in my mind are the sweet memories that keep playing like a re-run of a TV serial.

No matter how far and high a bird may fly, it has to return to its nest. Same is about us. We can never forget our roots, upbringing, heritage and our home. ‘A town called Dehra’ is a classic memoir that one will keep relishing with years to come.

R.K.Narayan – The author who created the world called ‘Malgudi’

R.K.Narayan (Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer) 10^th October 1906-13^th May 2001
Notable Works – Malgudi days, Swami and friends, The Guide

The only thing that reminds people of R.K.Narayan is the 80’s television show – Malgudi days directed by actor Shankar Nag. People loved the illustrations that appeared in the opening credits. These illustrations were sketched by none other than R.K.Laxman, the other genius in world of cartoons and journalism. As a child, I only recollect the episodes of Swami and friends penned by R.K.Narayan. Swami was my favorite ones as I could identify with him as a kid who was scared to school and loved to play and enjoy every moment of his boyhood. The legacy of R.K.Narayan is not just limited to the television adaptation of his books – Malgudi days and Swami and friends. He was a genius, a simpleton at heart and the simplicity always reflected in his short stories and full length novels.

I have read the full collection of short stories – Malgudi days written by R.K.Narayan and every short story in the book is close to reality. The hero of his short stories are the common masses we see in our day to day life – an office clerk, a teacher, student, mother, astrologer, pick pocket, servant, labour, merchant and shopkeeper. Through his short stories, he highlighted the heart breaking struggle of a common person, striving to make his best fortune in his life or adjusting himself to the rigorous situations of life. Especially the short story ‘Forty five a month’ in his book – Malgudi days is a clear representation of common man’s helplessness to choose between his job and his family. There are several stories in R.K. Narayan’s book which are a fine blend of light humor and bitter realities.

A recipient of Sahitya Academy award, R.K.Narayan was very different from other contemporary authors and what separated him from others was his knack to narrate even a complex story in a light hearted and simple way. This is what still appeals to readers even for today. His full length novel – Guide was adapted for major Hindi motion picture starring Dev anand and Waheeda Rehman. Though today’s contemporary authors write on love story, call centers, breakups, campus and sensational thrillers, they are nowhere closer to the legend called R.K.Narayan.

Though Malgudi was a fictional city created by R.K.Narayan, people still search it on maps and search engines to visit that people. Such was the charisma of R.K.Narayan’s writings which was believable. The place ‘Malgudi’ is the spirit of our India’s rural places and reflects the simplicity, culture, custom and traditions that we still preserve, respect and practice. In every small town or village, you will find a talkative man who keeps bragging about his courage through his stories or a kid like Swami who wishes to enjoy his childhood moments for eternity.

My bookshelf is adorned with the bestselling titles of R.K.Narayan – Malgudi days, Swami and Friends & under the banyan tree & other stories. Every time I feel nostalgic about my hometown, I definitely pick his books to visit the enchanting place called Malgudi. Through this article, I have taken a small effort to showcase my thoughts on the great genius – R.K.Narayan who wrote about the common people and was loved by the common people all over the world.

A face in the dark and other hauntings – An anthology of ghost stories by Ruskin Bond

‘I see dead people’ – lines from Hollywood movie ‘Sixth Sense’ 

Did you ever experience paranormal visions of seeing departed people? Have you witnessed seeing your long lost loved ones in your dreams? Dreams are route to connect with departed people. Whether ghosts, spirits or apparitions really exist is a matter of debate. Ruskin Bond’s anthology of short story on ghosts in this book is not just scary, but also has a nostalgic and romantic touch to it.

‘That night there was a thunderstorm. My bedroom window kept banging in the wind. I got up to close it and as I looked out, there was a flash of lightning and I saw that frail body again, swinging from the oak tree’ – excerpt from short story Topaz from this anthology

The ghosts in Ruskin Bond’s stories are frightening, but not disturbing. The stories are memorable, hilarious and sometimes heart breaking. Especially the short story – A face in the dark is the first chapter in this anthology recounts the story of an English teacher witnessing paranormal encounter with a faceless ghost. This story has been beautifully crafted with a touch of humour that will make you read these stories again and again. Some stories in Ruskin Bond’s collections are really spooky – especially the stories ‘The Monkeys’ and ‘The Topaz’. Ruskin Bond has written one ghost story in this collection which is dedicated to his father.

‘There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio.
 Than are dreamt of in your philosophy’ – lines from Shakespeare’s Hamlet

In this nostalgic chapter, Ruskin Bond recounts the supernatural event of seeing his dead father coming back to meet him. The ghostly form of his dead father not only guides him, but also protects him at several instances. Ruskin Bond has included this nostalgic episode in several of his short story collection. The 1998 Hollywood movie – Jack Frost is also based on such a premise where a dead father returns as a snowman to reunite with his little son and fulfill the wishes of his child and wife. The role of the ghost father was played by Michael Keaton in this family movie.

Even the 90’s movie – The Ghost had a similar plot where a dead man returns as a ghost to establish contact with his soulmate and make her aware of upcoming dangers. The Kevin Costner Starrer movie – Dragon Fly was more gripping on topic of afterlife and how a deceased wife tries to contact with her husband through paranormal signals.

Dreams are also a way to connect with your long lost loved ones. In my dreams, I had nostalgic experience of seeing my long lost maternal uncle who is no more with me. Whenever I was sad or depressed, I always saw my uncle in my dream, assuring that everything will be all right. The bond that I shared with my uncle in my childhood days is really memorable, especially accompanying him to buy comic books. I miss his presence really in these difficult times. Ruskin Bond also has also written a short story, describing his experience, meeting a long lost friend who is happened to be dead years back. 

All the 28 ghost stories in this anthology are unique. Whether it is connecting with ghost of Rudyard Kipling or meeting the mysterious Madam Sussanna who has killed all her seven husbands under mysterious circumstances, the stories gives you a glimpse at the supernatural elements in a very entertaining way. The most entertaining chapter in this anthology was the surprise entry of Detective Sherlock Holmes in the story ‘The Daffodil Case’. In this story, Sherlock Holmes teams up with Ruskin Bond to solve a case involving stealing of Daffodil flowers. The short story ‘Something in the water’ and ‘Night in the millennium’ are really creepy.

The ghostly settings in these stories send scary goosebumps, giving a feel of ghostly presence around you.  The recently released Bollywood movie – Phillauri draws inspiration from a spooky story ‘The Topaz’ in this anthology. Science may have denied the supernatural existence, but paranormal activities do keep happening in some corners of the world. If you love reading ghost stories, this anthology by Ruskin Bond is definitely a treat.

Visiting cinema halls – The best days of my life

‘The past is always with us, for it feeds the present’ – Ruskin Bond

For me, exiting from the cinema hall is the most emotional moment of my life. As the end credits roll, movie audiences are back to their life’s troubles. In his memoir ‘A town called Dehra’ Ruskin Bond had expressed his love for cinemas in his hometown Dehra. His visits to the yester year cinema hall – Odeon in Dehra were the best times of his youthful days. By coincidence, there was also a talkies called Odeon in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. My childhood was blessed with watching some memorable movies in movie theatres. Mard, Mr.India, Dance Dance, Andha Kanoon were some of the blockbusters I enjoyed with my family. School boys used to bunk their classes to watch the 90’s blockbusters like Baazigar, Darr, Raju Ban Gaya gentleman etc. Since I had a video player, I relished on movies from the comforts of my home. Like my classmates, I couldn’t never muster up the courage to bunk the classes and watch movies. In later years, I did catch up on some blockbusters at Malhar Cinema in Thane. I recollect watching Salman’s movie – Biwi No 1 at Malhar by purchasing tickets in black for 100 bucks. Such was my madness for movies. Though I stopped visiting Malhar cinema, I did enjoy some of the best and worst movies. Anand Cinema in Thane East is one destination which has a nostalgic feel to it. The Kopri area in Thane East is a sleepy town which is blessed with only one single screen theatre – Anand cinema. I enjoyed a forgettable romantic flick – Sirf Tum and Salman’s comedy movie – God Tussi great ho at Anand. Cinema halls have that ambience to make you fall in love with movies. Satellite channels and Movie apps can never give you the enjoyment that you relish in movie theatres.

Due to arrival of Multiplexes, several single cinema halls faced loss in their businesses and got closed down. I watched only one movie – The legend of Bhagat Singh in Aradhna cinema hall, Thane. Sadly, the cinema hall had to shut down in 2002. Among all the multiplexes, PVR cinemas are my favorite destination to catch up on movies. I remember watching ‘Jaane tu ya Jaane na’ for the first time at PVR cinemas, Mulund. I had specially taken a leave from office to watch this youthful flick. The big, wide screen, recliner seats, exclusive trailers make PVR cinemas a desirable destination. I lost the count of movies I enjoyed at PVR. Big Cinemas is one more favorite theatre which I occasionally visit. Bachna Ae Haseeno was one movie I immensely enjoyed at Big Cinemas. It had the typical Yashraj stuff – Foreign locations, romantic tracks, foot tapping music and beautiful chicks. I fell head over heels in love with Minissha lamba, one of the lead actresses in the movie. She played a typical Punbabi girl next door whom Ranbir Kapoor woos and dumps her. I still regret missing Rab Ne Bana di Jodi at cinema halls. I fell in love with Anushka Sharma in Rab Ne Bana di Jodi. Wish I could become like Raj and woo her. The movies are larger than life as their characters.

Off lately, I watched Anushka Sharma’s movie – Phillauri at PVR cinemas. Every movie brings lots of memories with it. Whether it is watching Dostana at Malhar cinemas or Quantum of Solace at PVR, each movie is stuffed with timeless entertainment. If you watch a good movie, watch it only at a cinema hall. Nothing beats the excitement of a silver screen better than a movie theatre. I consider that days of watching movies at cinema halls as the best days of my life.

Let me know about your favorite cinema hall and the movies you enjoyed in a single screen or multiplex theatre. 

Remembering Robin Williams

Actor Robin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014)
Memorable Performances – Mrs Doubtfire, Good Morning Vietnam, Patch Adams, Hook, Dead Poet's Society, Jack

A still from movie Dead Poets Society 

I regard “Mrs Doubtfire” as one of the memorable roles ever written for any Hollywood actor in the world of cinema. No actor would have made it as lively and witty as Robin Williams did. “Mrs Doubtfire” and “Jumanji” are the two movies of Robin Williams that I thoroughly enjoyed. I always had a desire to write one post on “Mrs Doubtfire” movie praising the performance of Robin Williams. His untimely demise on 11^th Aug 2014 left me in a state of shock as his lively movies always succeeded to bring smile of faces of countless people in the world. What an irony that Robin who entertained the world with his humor was in fact the unhappiest person battling depression for a long time. He was a great actor, stand up comedian, a loving husband and above all a adorable father to his kids. I still remember the joy of watching “Mrs Doubtfire” on Star Movies where Robin Williams transforms himself into an old nanny to look after his kids. What a memorable movie indeed!! 

Even his movies were a source of remake for several Bollywood filmmakers. Shahrukh Khan's role in “Mohabattein” was highly inspired by Robin Williams’s role in “Dead poet's society” while his other movie “Patch Adams” was a source of inspiration for “Munnabhai MBBS”. Robin Williams’ role as the Robot falling in love with a woman in Bicentennial Man was emotional. Whether it was Hook, Good Will Hunting, Good morning Vietnam, One Hour Photo or Insomnia, Robin Williams breathed life in every role. 

Robin has left behind a great wealth of laughter, smiles and cheerfulness through his movies. Though he failed to battle depression, he succeeded to bring a smile on everyone's face. His legacy will live on. Rest in peace Robin Williams.

The sword of Tanaji Malusare

‘Every man dies, but not everyone really lives’ – lines from movie ‘Braveheart’

Our today’s generation is fascinated with fictional characters from Game of thrones and Bahubali. Kids know about Spartan King Leonidas but have hardly heard about the unsung Maratha warriors like Tanaji Malusare whose ballads are still sung in India. Should we blame the history textbooks or the growing influence of Western culture on our kids? A lot is written, sung on the great warrior Tanaji Malusare but his courageous feat is slowly fading from the minds of younger generations. It is high time that we continue to pass on the stories of our Indian history to our coming generation and this article on Tanaji is a small effort to remember his courageous feats.

The ‘Povadas’ (Marathi ballads) sung by the folk singers inspired the young men of Maratha Empire to fight for Swarajya and resist the barbaric Mughal empire. Among the trusted comrades, Tanaji Malusare was the most trusted military leader who taken oath along with Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj to fight for Swarajya in Raireshwar temple (Raireshwar is Lord Shiva’s name). Shivaji and Tanaji were close friends during their childhood times and often they planned strategies to capture the forts. With coming times, Shivaji collected a band of brave Mawlas and declared a war on the Mughal Empire.  With the help of Tanaji, Baji Prabhu and countless Maratha warriors, Shivaji won many battles. Though Tanaji had fought many battles for Swarajya, it was the battle for Kondana that was going to make him immortal in pages of history.

For Tanaji, his call of duty mattered more than his personal things. Such was his devotion to his nation that he left his son’s wedding preparations in middle to march for the battle of Kondana. He cared for Swarajya more than his son’s wedding.   

Statue of Tanaji Malusare 

 By tying the rope on his pet lizard Yashwanti, Tanaji and his troops scaled the fort in the dark of night. The Kondana fort was under the control of corrupt Mughal officials Jai Singh and Udaybhan. Tanaji and his handful of men gave a tough fight to the mighty and large numbered enemy soldiers. Tanaji’s sword struck like a thunder bolt, claiming the lives of several enemy soldiers. The battle was bloodied, fierce and fatiguing for Tanaji and his band of brave soldiers. Though Tanaji gave a tough fight to Udaybhan, he was fatally wounded by the sword attacks. The fierce battle marked the end of Tanaji. In the sword fights, the cruel Udaybhan was also killed by Tanaji. Tanaji breathed his last, mortally wounded. He died, but kept his promise of recapturing the Kondana fort from the enemies.

Shivaji Maharaj was deeply saddened hearing about the death of his friend Tanaji. He had not only lost a great soldier, but also a close friend.

‘Gad ala pan sinh gela’ were the words uttered by Shivaji Maharaj in remembrance of his brave martyr friend Tanaji. The fort was captured but the lion was dead.

Tanaji’s ballads are still sung today by folk singers in his honor, remembering his courageous deeds and his ultimate sacrifice for Swarajya.

The sad irony about school history textbooks is that it doesn’t describe about the courageous heroes like Tanaji in detail. Kids do study history but only to score marks in exams. I had read about Tanaji Malusare in detail in Amar Chitra Katha books. It had a given a detailed history on Tanaji through illustrations. 

Biopic on Tanaji – Viacom 18 is making a biopic on Tanaji Malusare which will have actor Ajay Devgan playing the title role of the great Maratha warrior. The movie is scheduled to release in 2019. I am very sad to see that it took so long time to make a biopic on this brave Maratha warrior. Thankfully, the young masses will be able to see Tanaji on the silver screen soon.

When you visit Sinhagad, you can see a bust of the great Maratha Warrior at the fort. Tanaji’s valor won’t be forgotten in the pages of history as long as we continue to carry forward his legacy of courage and patriotism.

My list of best Bollywood movies that were remake of Hollywood blockbusters

Bollywood is never short of inspiration. For Bollywood, inspiration means ctrl c +ctrl v. Dozens of Bollywood movies were unofficial copies of Hollywood flicks. From Dil Diya Dard liya (remake of Wuthering heights) to Sholay (Seven Samurais), Bollywood has presented the stories with their desi copyrights. Here is my list of the Hollywood movies that were remade into Bollywood flicks.

10) Dil Diya Dard Liya – This classic movie starring Dilip Kumar and Waheeda Rehman was desi adaptation of Emily Bronte’s classic novel – Wuthering heights. Dilip Kumar played the role of Heathcliffe while Waheeda Rehman played the role of Catherine. The movie climax had a happy ending while the original novel had a tragic climax. Dil Diya Dard Liya was one of the best movies in the career of Dilip Kumar.

9) Sholay – The most successful remake of Akira Kurosawa’s classic – The Seven Samurais, G.P.Sippy’s Sholay became a milestone in filmmaking. Directed by Ramesh Sippy, Sholay was epic in every department. Amjad Khan’s epic role as dacoit Gabbar Singh made him a star overnight. From Sambha, Kaalia to Basanti, Thakur and Jai-Veeru, every role was a legend in itself. What stayed in my mind was the role of Jai played by Amitabh who takes a bullet on himself to save his buddy Veeru played by Dharmendra. Akira Kurosawa’s classic was again remade into China Gate which featured a bunch of war veterans pitted against a dread dacoit – Jagira played by Mukesh Tiwari. In my opinion, Jagira was scarier than Gabbar.

8) Karz – Karz was an unofficial remake of Hollywood classic – The Reincarnation of Peter Proud. Rishi Kapoor played the role of Monty, a pop singer who sees visuals of a man getting thrashed to death by a woman. Monty later discovers he was Ravi Verma in his previous birth who was killed by his own wife. Thus begins the vengeance of Monty to avenge his death and search for his long lost mother and sister. Karz was the movie that introduced me to the concept of reincarnation. It was one of my favorite movies that I watched countless times.

7) Ghulam – The 1998 Aamir Khan starrer - Ghulam was remake of Marlon Brando’s movie – On the waterfront. I count this movie as Aamir Khan’s best role of his career. A good for nothing boxer Sidhu decides to rebel against a gang lord Ronnie and seeks justice for an honest union leader who is killed by Ronnie’s henchmen. This movie re-launched Rani Mukherjee and made her an overnight star. ‘Aati Kya Khandala’ was a huge blockbuster song that was top in every music chart.Even the 80’s movie – Kabzaa starring Sanjay Dutt was inspired by On the waterfront.

6) Dharmatma – If Hollywood had Don Vito Corleone, Bollywood had its own desi Godfather Dharmatma. Dharmatma was the Hollywood remake of Francis Ford Coppola’s gangster movie – The Godfather. Actor Premnath played the role of desi Godfather – Dharmatma while Feroz Khan played the role of Michael Corleone portrayed by Al Pacino. Filled with typical Bollywood songs, emotions and drama, Dharmatma was a huge blockbuster in career of Feroz Khan. Even the Aamir’s delayed movie – Aatank hi Aatank was a scene to scene remake of Godfather.

7) Baazigar – Baazigar changed the typical conventions of Bollywood filmy formula and introduced an anti-hero Shahrukh Khan who throws his heroine from a building. Such plot was really unacceptable for Indian audiences. Never before had a hero killed his own love interest. A remake of ‘A Kiss before dying’, Baazigar established Shahrukh Khan as the biggest star in Bollywood. A vengeance thriller packed with drama, action and chilling suspense, Baazigar is undoubtedly the best remake that surpasses even the original.

6) Fitoor – The 2016 Bollywood romantic flick was a weak adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic book – Great Expectations. Featuring Aditya Roy Kapur and Katrina Kaif in the lead role, Fitoor was story of love and expectations. The backdrop of story was set in Kashmir. Ajay Devgan played the role of a secret benefactor of Aditya Roy Kapur. The movie didn’t succeed as our Indian audiences were too immature to understand the literary ideas of Charles Dickens.

5) Daraar – The 1996 thriller was remake of Julia Robert’s movie – Sleeping with the enemy. Juhi Chawla played the role of oppressed wife who is tormented by her psychotic and highly possessive husband played by Arbaaz Khan.  She escapes from her horrible marital life and starts a new life. Little does she realize that her past is chasing her in form of her husband who has returned to haunt her for worse. Agnisakshi and Daraar were based on ‘Sleeping with the enemy’. Among these two movies, Daraar captures the thrill of the original. Arbaaz’s performance as the psychotic and over caring husband was award winning. Nevertheless this is the best remake of Sleeping with the enemy.

4) Gumnaam – This late 60’s Bollywood suspense flick was a huge blockbuster in its time. Based on Agatha Christie’s mystery novel – And there were none, this was a gripping suspense where a group of unknown strangers start getting killed on an isolated island. The Bollywood remake was nowhere closer to the psychological thriller novel. It was stuffed with all the nonsense item numbers, silly comedies, romantic tracks and predictable climax. Though it was a successful suspense flick, it couldn’t capture the thrilling spirit of Agatha’s writings.

3) Ek Ajnabee – This 2005 action movie starring Amitabh Bachchan was a scene to scene remake of 2004 Hollywood movie – Man on fire starring the talented Denzel Washington. There was no originality in this movie as the writers copied all the scenes from ‘Man on fire’. Though Ek Ajnabee was a decent action drama, it lacked the edge that Denzel Washington brought on screen. Based on Kidnappings, Man on fire was an intense emotional drama that revolves around a hired bodyguard who decides to track down all the kidnappers who have kidnapped his master’s daughter.

2) Naina – When Bollywood directors are jobless, they either watch Korean horror movies or a south Indian movie to get them back to work. The 2005 supernatural movie – Naina is an unofficial remake of Hongkong-Singaporean movie ‘The Eye’.
A visually impaired girl Naina undergoes corneal transplant only to see ghostly visions and horrifying future incidents. Why is Naina seeing ghostly visions? Who is the mysterious eye donor? How is the mysterious eye donor connected to Naina?
Naina was equally scary as the original. Though the Hollywood movie – The Eye also based on the same movie was less scary, Jessica Alba’s performance was sincere as the visually impaired girl. Urmila Matondkar played the role of visually impaired girl in the Bollywood remake – Naina.

1) Aashiqui 2 – This 2013 musical romantic blockbuster was remake of 1937 Hollywood classic movie – A star is born. An alcoholic, fading singer Rahul Jaykar mentors a struggling singer Aarohi and falls in love with her. Though Aarohi becomes a successful singer, Rahul starts losing his stardom due to excessive alcoholism. The movie ends on a tragic note. One of the best tragic romances, Aashiqui 2 was equally successful as its first part. Hollywood actor Bradley Cooper is working on the new remake of ‘A star is born’ along with Lady Gaga in the lead role. This new remake is scheduled for a 2018 release.   

Hope you all will like my list of these Bollywood flicks that were remakes of the Hollywood movies. I will soon be coming up with my next list of Bollywood movies that were remakes of Hollywood flicks.

Bonding with Ruskin

Today when I gaze at the blue sky, I notice emptiness in it. There are no longer any kites soaring high to touch the clouds. Even the pond is deprived of paper boats that once floated in the monsoon water. Sky scrapers, competitive jobs, high speed cars, industrial complexes and electronic accessories have taken a toll on life. In the midst of these uncertainties, author Ruskin Bond’s books still give a hope that life hasn’t lost its charm. The dark clouds of sorrow can never overshadow a hopeful sun in the sky. I withdrew myself from the 9 to 7 job that offered nothing but resentment, disappointment and disheartening events. I had totally lost my hope in this heartless city until a book came as a blessing in my life. It was an anthology of nostalgic stories and travelogues, giving me a glimpse of mountain life. ‘Night train at deoli and other stories’ by Ruskin Bond opened the window of happiness in my life which was locked due to my pessimistic attitude. I have realized that I always suppressed my inner self (my conscience) and gave more importance to friends, colleagues and mean people. The childhood innocence within me was lost somewhere and I was left alone in the crowd. Ruskin Bond’s books helped me to reconnect with my inner self. Life has never been the same after soaking in nostalgia offered by this short collection of Ruskin Bond.

The debut memoir - Room on the roof by Ruskin Bond is a must read book

‘When the war is over, a butterfly will still be beautiful’ – excerpt from Ruskin Bond memoir ‘Rusty Runs away’

Through his novellas, short story collections, travelogues, Ruskin Bond gives you a glimpse of his memoirs in Landour, Shimla, Dehra, Mussoorie and Shamli. Be it a spooky anthology, love stories or nostalgic episodes, Ruskin Bond brings you closer to Mother Nature. Happiness is not drinking a creamy coffee in Café Coffee day, but relishing on a small tea stall in a hill station. The social networks have disconnected us from our real friends who helped us in thick and thin times. Through his memoirs – Rusty series (Rusty is alter ego of Ruskin Bond), Bond takes readers a trip down the memory lane where he recounts the days he spent with his friends, grandparents, uncle and his late father. Though the stories may sound simple, but there is a strong philosophy hidden in every story. Wish I had a time machine so that I could bring back the moments which are now preserved in form of memories. I want to start life on a new note where I can live the life to the fullest, enjoying a million years in a 24 hours day. 

When you read Ruskin Bond Books, you get a feel that time has slowed down and you have lived 25 hours in a day, relishing every moment of the story that is connected to you. Such is the power of Ruskin Bond’s writings.  

 After Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, Ruskin Bond is one such author whose writings has a strong sense of nostalgia. It’s time for me to catch a train to mountains and connect with serenity. If you value your happy old times, do read books by Ruskin Bond. They are really worth your time.

Chanakya's chant - A political thriller by Ashwin Sanghi

In the world of politics, every single person is a pawn in hands of someone. The hunger to gain political power urges the ambitious contender to go any lengths. Chanakya’s chant is an off-beat political thriller written by Ashwin Sanghi who has brilliantly exposed the dirty games of politics that prevailed during Chanakya’s times and present day. This book is a game changer, an eye- opening revelation for those who love to read history. First of all I appreciate the brilliance of Ashwin sanghi who has brought two different stories in one book. It’s not just about life of chanakya and chandragupta, it also discloses the unknown incidents behind Alexander’s poisoning, paurus’ murder and the most lethal of them all – the vishakanyas (poisonous damsels who were secretly working for chanakya)

Both the stories run parallel. There are two protagonists in this story – Vishnu Gupta better known as Chanakya who through his tactical mind overthrew the corrupt ruler – Dhanananda from the kingdom and placed Chandragupta maurya as the new emperor of Magadha. The other protagonist of this story is Gangasagar Mishra, a teacher from Kanpur. On one side,  Chanakya takes a clever move to destroy Dhanananda who had murdered his father Chanak while in the present times, Gangasagar Mishra uses everyone as a pawn to make Chandini Gupta, the next prime minister of India.  Through this novel , we meet many characters from history – Alexander the great, Chandragupta Maurya, Paurus,  Ambhi and the corrupt ruler – Dhanananda

The biggest highlight of this novel is its explosive beginning where a vishakanya poisons king paurus through her seductive kiss. This is one of the biggest unrevealed incident that was never described in history. The vishakanyas were poisonous damsels working under Chanakya to assassinate kings and Paurus was one of their victims.

This book – chanakya’s chant is a complete entertaining political thriller and highly recommended for readers who are keen to read something off beat apart from the teen romantic stories written by amateurish authors.

My new blog on Blogger

New Blog, New ideas!! After completing 8 years of blog writing on WordPress platform, I decided to take a break for a while. While brainstorming on new stories, I decided to have a new blog platform to publish my ideas with my readers and friends. So, here I am here on Blogger.com. A writer can’t stay stable on one platform. He keeps on exploring new destinations to tell his story. This blog will an amalgamation of nostalgia, humor, life, hope, optimism and inspiration.  Along with new stories, I will be republishing my old stories to those new friends who haven’t yet explored my blog world. I have plans to start my travel blog too!! Let’s see how it goes. I will be definitely exploring new destinations to write my travelogues on my travel blog. All thanks to Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, and Charles Dickens who inspired me to write.

A new journey of writing has just begun.

Happy Reading 

The Blue Umbrella – A Short Story By Ruskin Bond

“Some books are so familiar, reading them is like being home again” – Louisa May Alcott

Very few books have that charisma that appeal to both kids and grownups and Ruskin Bond’s short story – The Blue Umbrella is one of them. The above quote holds a special place in my heart because we like to read books where we love to relate ourselves. This short story – The Blue Umbrella belongs to that category, a memorable story whose magic will keep on enchanting the readers for generations. Published in 1980, this short story is written by Ruskin Bond whose stories are more connected to hilly areas like Himachal Pradesh. The premise of this story is set in a small village of Himachal Pradesh where a poor little girl named Binya is smitten to a beautiful blue umbrella owned by a rich family. She trades off her leopard claw necklace for the captivating blue umbrella. From that moment, the blue umbrella becomes Binya’s rich possession.

Slowly the umbrella becomes a center of attention among the people living in the village. Everyone in the village craves to own that umbrella. Especially Ram Bharose, a shopkeeper has his eyes set on the blue umbrella. He even requests Binya to sell her blue umbrella to him for a fair amount. But Binya refuses to part away with her prized valuable. Realizing that his master Ram Bharose won’t be able to gain the umbrella, his servant Rajaram plans to steal the umbrella for his master. But while stealing the umbrella, Rajaram is caught red-handed by Binya’s brother. When everyone in the village comes to know about Ram Bharose’s greedy intention of owning Binya’s umbrella, Ram Bharose is neglected by everyone in village. Later Binya realizes that she shouldn’t flaunt her umbrella to make Ram Bharose sad. Finally Binya happily parts away with her blue umbrella by giving it to Ram Bharose. Now everyone in the village borrows the blue umbrella from Ram Bharose for time being. Though Binya is sad for parting with her umbrella, she is glad that she has brought a smile of happiness on someone’s face.This short story was made into a motion picture in 2005 and was adapted as a comic story in Amar Chitra Katha. 

I recently read this short story of Ruskin Bond and was so mesmerized by its simplicity that I couldn’t wait to share this story on my blog. This story is about joy of giving and sharing happiness even in sad moments. Though my writings can’t match the magic of Ruskin Bond’s words, I have made a small attempt to spread this story to all my readers, young and old. I hope that once you have read this post, you will definitely buy the original copy of “Blue Umbrella” written by Ruskin Bond.

Happy Reading
Prashant Badiger

If you fall in love with a writer, you will never die

If you fall in love with a writer, you will never die - Quote 

I was searching for a relevant title that would complement my story and this quote was tailor-made for it. A writer never dies; he lives through his words in form of stories and poems. Perhaps this is the only way to become immortal. If someone has really loved you from the depths of heart, the person will live forever through your words. For me, my love is my inspiration, my muse who will go on to live forever, everywhere in the pages of my written materials. In this exclusive article, I am throwing a light on some tragic romances of popular authors who never found the happiness they deserved for.

Jane Austen & Lefroy - The genre of rom-com begun with Jane Austen’s novels – Pride & Prejudice, Emma and Sense & sensibility. Though Jane Austen succeeded to become a best-selling author of her times, she was deprived of her love in her personal life. The inspiration for ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and the character ‘Darcy’ came to Jane after meeting Thomas Lefroy, a young man aspiring to enter in world of politics and law. Though Lefroy and Jane courted, but the affection was destined for a short span. A certain set of unfavorable circumstances and class differences forced them to separate. At the time of their courtship, Lefroy was a struggling law student and Jane Austen a writer in making. Though Lefroy attempted to wed Jane, he was not in financial position to feed his family. Thus Jane decided to sacrifice her emotions to let Lefroy succeed as a judge.

Jane Austen's love story was made into a motion picture in 2007

Jane Austen later went on to become a popular author and Lefroy a successful judge. 

Anne Hathaway portrayed the role of Jane Austen in 2007 movie - Becoming Jane

Though Jane breathed her last on 18^th July 1817, her love ‘Lefroy’ became immortal through the character ‘Mr.Darcy’. To know more untold romance of Jane Austen, do see the 2007 movie – Becoming Jane featuring actress Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen.

John Keating & Fanny – A struggling poet of his own generation, John Keats was leaving no stone unturned to make his mark in world of writings. Though he was an unsuccessful poet, he did find success in winning the heart of Fanny Brawne, a fashionable girl of 19^th century. John Keats’ poetries found a place in Fanny’s heart. Both were diverse in characters. John was an introvert while Fanny was a care-free, tomboy type aristocratic girl who loved flirting. Despite of such diverse natures, they fell in love with each other. But their love was not destined for happiness.

John’s untimely death due to tuberculosis at tender age of 25 left Fanny depressed. John did live in the letters he specially wrote for Fanny during his last days. Fanny preserved the letters that John had written for her. John’s works never got the deserved recognition while he was alive. Ironically his works got popular posthumously. Though Fanny and John were not destined to stay together for a long span, his emotions for Fanny became immortal through his poem ‘Bright Star’ and his love letters. To know more about their love story, do watch the 2009 romantic Hollywood movie – The Bright Star.

Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan – Charles Dickens’ affair with an actress was the famous infamous episode in his life that was well guarded and hidden from the world. Very little is known about this story which became an inspiration for author Claire Tomalin. The book by Tomalin was titled ‘The Invisible Woman’ which threw a light on the dark phases in life of Dickens. Dickens popularity as author was attracting lot of attention and Nelly Ternan was one of them. The 18 year old actress was attracted to Dickens’ writings, ideas and his persona. There was a huge age difference between Dickens and Nelly. Since Dickens’ wife never showed her likings towards literature and writings, Dickens found that admiration in Nelly who had fondness for literature and books. She became his secret mistress. But destiny was never in favor of this love. Nelly got pregnant from Dickens’. But misfortunes were high on their relationship. Nelly's child died during birth. Since Dickens couldn’t accept their relationship in public, Dickens and Nelly got separated forever. Though they were separated, Nelly still loved Dickens and remained his secret mistress till the death of Dickens in 1870. World lost a great figure in literature who introduced the readers to David Copperfield and Oliver Twist. Nelly later got married. But she never let the world know that she was once a mistress of the great Dickens.

Rabindranath Tagore and Kadambari Devi - Even in poems and short stories of Tagore, his sister-in-law ‘Kadambari Devi’ found a great place. Kadambari was the muse of Tagore, an inspiration which took his writings to great heights. But unfortunately after the marriage of Tagore, Kadambari committed suicide in mysterious circumstances. Tagore had lost his inspiration and a soulful companion who was his best friend since their childhood days. The short story ‘Broken nest’ was based on bonding between Tagore and Kadambari Devi. The family and society never approved of affection between Tagore and Kadambari. Though Tagore went on to become a great figure in Bengali literature, but he couldn’t forget Kadambari who motivated him to become a writer.

‘In memories, love lives forever’ – quote

 Lefroy, Fanny, Nelly and Kadambari are forgotten. Lefroy became immortal as Darcy in Austen’s novel – Pride and Prejudice. Fanny became a bright star through the poems written by John Keats. Nelly Ternan always loved Dickens till the last breath of her life. Kadambari Devi lived on forever through short stories written by Tagore. 

Memories never let the love die. It lives forever somewhere in the page of dusty books once written by a lover for his beloved.

Rusty Runs away - A nostalgic memoir by Ruskin Bond

Nestled in the vicinity of Dehra’s snow mountains is the residence of Rusty, a melancholic dreamer who aspires to live life on his own terms. Through Rusty, Author Ruskin Bond has recounted his own boyhood days in Dehra, Shimla and Mussoorie. ‘Rusty Runs away’ is story of every kid who is deprived of parental love
and craves for a heartfelt tenderness. The incidents happening in the memoir – Rusty Runs Away will tug your heart and compel to go back to your boyhood days.
Have you every bunked school to visit the cities, relish on street side food and watch cinema? This is one childhood fantasy every kid has craved to and fulfilled by playing rookie. I have done it countless times and got a good thrashing from my parents.

There is a ‘Rusty’ hidden in every person who wants to break free from his daily chores and hectic responsibilities. Today we are so entrapped in web of fake desires, expectations that we have stopped living the real life we aspired for. We are no less than a money earning robot. The nostalgic episodes in this book will encourage you to pursue your dreams even in the toughest times. The most interesting episode in the novel is the escape of Rusty and his friend Daljit from their boarding school – Arundel. This escape adventure takes them on interesting locations till they finally reach the sea port only to face delay. Read this to personally experience the journey that is a roller coaster ride of happiness, joy, exploration and imagination.

The other story in this memoir is the friendship between Rusty and Omar which blossoms in Shimla. Set during the backdrop of pre-independence Rusty and Omar strike a bond and enjoy the best moments of friendship – playing hockey, discovering tunnels and sharing their emotions. Like Rusty, even Omar is an orphan. The heart breaking partition tears apart their partnership and Omar has to leave India. After 18 years, Rusty receives the news that Omar has died in air crash during the Indo-Pak War of 1972. This is one of my favorite chapters in this novel. If you have disconnected from your long lost colleague then you will definitely relate to this story of Rusty and Omar. 

There is always a nostalgic charm in Ruskin Bond's short stories 

The most nostalgic episode in this novel is the friendship of Rusty with Somi, Ranbir and Suri who help him to break free from the cage of melancholia and enjoy the life to the fullest. Rusty not only enjoys food on road side stalls, but also discovers the color of happiness by celebrating Holi with his friends. This friendship gives Rusty the courage to rebel against his tyrant guardian. Rusty not only rebels, but also thrashes his guardian black and blue, putting an end to the strict tyranny imposed on him.

The Rusty book series is based on Ruskin Bond's own boyhood days

‘Rusty Runs Away’ is celebration of friendship, togetherness, love, freedom and nostalgia. This memoir is one of the best works of Ruskin Bond which will touch your heart’s string. The scenic descriptions, travelogues will inspire you to take a trip to your favorite destination. As a social human being, we are so concerned about people that we suppress the ‘real person’ in us. We care about other’s opinions but never heed to the inner voice of our conscious. I hope that after reading this book – Rusty Runs Away, you will definitely look out for your inner self. 

Bahubali: The Conclusion – My review on the epic sequel

In the heartland of Mahishmati, the stage of betrayal and vengeance is set up between two warring brothers – the cruel Bhallaldeva and the righteous Amarendra Bahubali. The first part of movie ended with Kattappa’s confession of killing the great king Bahubali. The sequel continues with Shivudu, the son of Bahubali listening to the real mystery behind his father’s death. After defeating Kalakeya tribe, Bahubali is declared the king of Mahishmati. On a mission to capture Kuntala kingdom, Bahubali ends up falling in love with Devasena, the Kuntala princess. Instead of taking her captive, Bahubali rescues her kingdom from invaders. A love blossoms between Bahubali and Devasena. Here Bhallaldeva, the rival brother of Bahubali poisons the mind of his queen mother Sivagami. This misunderstanding creates a rift between Bahubali and Queen Sivagami. Bhallaldeva is crowned the king of Mahishmati while Bahubali has to leave the palace along with Devasena. The fortunate stars are not in favor of Bahubali and a treacherous plan claims the life of the great Bahubali. After discovering the tragic end of Bahubali, his son Shivudu declares a war on Bhallaldeva and what follows later is a bloody war between dharma and adharma.

Swords, knights, empire, chariot races, deception, romance and war are the formulaic elements that make an epic movie successful. Bahubali is not an exception to it. What separate Bahubali from other epic movies are the larger than life characters that make Bahubali movie an epic saga. The yesteryear’s South Indian movies were full of mythology and epic sagas. People used to decorate the talkies like temple and pour milk on the photographs of their screen idols. Such was the hysteria of the movie audiences. Bahubali movie belongs to that league where audience literally cried over the death of Amarendra Bahubali played by Prabhas. Bahubali is a fusion of several Indian epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana and seeks inspiration from several Hollywood epic classics like Ben-Hur, Gladiator, Braveheart, Kingdom of heaven etc. There are lot of action scenes that are inspired by 300 and Gladiator. For me, Bahubali was a regular epic vengeance drama which was uplifted with lavish settings, high definition VFX, thousands of junior artists and big celebrities. What impressed me in this movie was the character Sivagami, the foster mother of Bahubali. Played to perfection by actress Ramya Krishna, this role has already become immortal in world of cinema. There are lots of questions that remain unanswered in this movie. It is Kattappa the slave who kills Bahubali on orders of Sivagami. Kattappa is like a robotic slave who follows the order blindly even if it is suppressing his conscience. He could have protected Bahubali. Instead he stabs him back. Will Kattappa kill Bahubali’s son in future if his mind is poisoned again? Why is the cruel king Bijjaldeva spared? Will Shivudu continue the legacy of his father Bahubali without any hurdles? Is there any third part of Bahubali coming soon? Director S.S.Rajamouli ends Bahubali movie on an engaging note.    

Author Anand Neelkanthan has helmed the responsibility of writing Bahubali novel for director S.S.Rajamouli. The first part in the trilogy has already hit the bookstores. Rise of Sivagami is the first book in this trilogy which will trace the origins of Sivagami and backstory of Kattappa. Will Bahubali return in the third part? Only time will tell.

Guns and heroes – My list of best Hollywood action movies

There is an old saying that action speaks louder than words. A clenched fist with a punch is enough to bring a ruffian to his senses. Action has created a new genre in movies and its own group of audience who whistle when the hero knocks down a bunch of goons in one blow. Though Hollywood action movies are larger than life, they definitely have inspired lots of young masses to imitate their onscreen idols. This article is a compilation of the best action movies I thoroughly enjoyed.

1) Rambo – 

Rambo: First Blood gave birth to a new action icon – John Rambo, a Vietnam soldier wronged by his own people. Sylvester Stallone became a rage, an icon after the success of Rambo 1, 2 and 3. The action sequences in Rambo 2 were aesthetically choreographed, giving a rawness and realism to violence. I am a die-hard fan of Rambo Series and the way he welded his bow to shoot fire arrows on his enemies sends goosebumps to every action lover. After several years, Rambo is still a cult movie in action genre

2) Commando –

 The posters of Commando movie were a rage in 80’s and late 90’s. Arnold became a cult hero with movies like Commando, Terminator: Judgement day, Total Recall and Red Sonja. Commando is my favorite pick in this action list for the amazing action sequences choreographed in the movie. How Arnold goes to the end of the world to rescue his daughter from the terrorists and single handedly brings down the whole army of baddies is best to seen on the silver screen. I clapped and whistled at the action scenes, bringing out the best of Arnold’s moments on screen. Seeing is believing. Rent a DVD to enjoy this cult action movie that will bring out the Commando in you.

3) Die hard –

 NYPD Cop John Mc Clane (Bruce Willis) is the wrong man at the wrong time in Die Hard movie. This flick brought out the action hero in Bruce Willis. John Mc Clane unknowingly bumps into Nakatomi plaza on a Christmas night.

 By coincidence the plaza is taken on hostage by a terrorist group. How John Mc Clane saves the day is best to be seen on silver screen. I loved the fourth part of Die-hard which had Bruce Willis fighting with Internet terrorists. This is one of my favorite action movies in this list. 

4) Matrix – 

Matrix changed the definition of action genre. A Sci-fi movie loaded with never seen before slow motion action sequences. Directed by Wachowski brothers, Matrix set new trends in storytelling, action choreography and visual effects. The slow motion bullets, martial art fights, high octane chases made Matrix a memorable action flick. What stayed in my memory was the role of Agent Smith played by Hugo Weaving and the underrated actor Keanu Reeves in his memorable role of Neo.

5) Face/Off –

 I was completely blown away with the action sequences in John Woo’s flick – Face/off starring John Travolta and Nicholas Cage. I regard this action flick as one of my favorites because it had everything you desired in action movie. A cop undergoes facial surgery and adopts the identity of a menacing terrorist. With the face of the terrorist, he undergoes undercover to uncover a deadly terror plot. What he doesn’t realize that the criminal has undergone facial surgery and taken his identity. John Travolta and Nicholas Cage are pitted against each other in this high octane action thriller. Filled with high octane chases and swift action sequences, Face/off is worth the ticket.

6) 300 –

 This is Sparta!!! Immortalized in Hollywood as one of the epic lines, 300 is legend of the fallen Spartan heroes and their King Leonidas. What separates this epic action movie from other action flicks is its sleek action choreography. Slow motion sword fights, clanking of shields, chopping of heads and blood splatter bring more realism to the action scenes. Gerard Butler shot to fame in Hollywood with the dream role of King Leonidas. With 300, director Zack Snyder created a new milestone in movie making and action genre.

7) Enter the dragon – 

Bruce Lee made his debut in Hollywood with Enter the Dragon that made him a legend overnight. His martial arts stunts, swiftness, adroitness fetched lots of audiences not only in foreign nations, but also in India. Bruce Lee became a cult star and his legacy was carry forwarded by Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Chow-Un-Fat and Tony Jaa. The most memorable scene in Enter the dragon is the climax where he single handedly knocks down several martial art henchmen.

8) Robocop – 

Robocop gave birth to a new breed of hero – Half human, half Robot. The 1987 sci-fi action flick became a sensation in action genre. A cop returns from dead after he is killed to death by a street gang. The mortally dead cop is resurrected as a Robot cop to take down the crime in Detroit city. How Robocop wipes the crime and settles his personal score with his enemies is best to be seen. The role of Robocop/Cop Alex Murphy is played by actor Peter Weller.

Action is worth a thousand words. Movies of action genre are very vast in Hollywood. This is my first compilation of my favorite action movies. I will definitely be coming up with a new post on my next list action movies in coming times. Hope you will definitely like this action packed article.