Ruskin Bond turns ninety today — a grand storyteller, one of the grandest of the twentieth century. His stories make one laugh and cry. They touch our hearts with compassion and amusement. He writes of people who he encounters in the hills where he stays — common people, people who you meet everyday on the road. He relates tales of making omelettes without eggs and makes us laugh at him and with him. It is rare to find this quality in a writer, or even in a common human. His fabulous stories around Mr Olivier and his parrot, his essays, poems, novels … one made into a film (AFlight of Pigeons) — though I dare say I enjoyed the book more than the film — all give a respite from the mundaneness and stresses of daily existence. They have the same effect as a holiday resort, except you do not need to spend as much. His writing transcends all time and boundaries of all kinds with his love for humanity seeping out of books.
We celebrate him with a poetic tribute from a fan and two pieces of his writing that we found in our treasury! Happy Birthday Ruskin Bond!
The year 2023 seemed to have been hard on all of us. Wars in the post-pandemic world, weapons and armies that destroy innocent civilian lives have taken the centre stage, vying with climate disasters, refugees, senseless shootings and unrest. Amidst this gloom and doom, we need hope — a gleam of light to help us find solutions towards a peaceful world. Let us give the newborn 2024 a fair chance towards its own wellbeing with cheer and laughter. Let’s laugh away our troubles and find the inner strength to move forward towards a better future where people live in harmony… perhaps to hum and recall Paul Mc Cartney’s wise words in ‘Ebony and Ivory'(1982)…
We all know that people are the same wherever you go There is good and bad in ev'ryone We learn to live, when we learn to give Each other what we need to survive, together alive
.... Amidst this wave of conflict, In the haze of the games you script, I will swing towards my own dream.
Let the breeze blow off the lamplight, Let storms thunder in the sky — Every moment in my heart, I can sense your footfall. In darkness, I strive to find my stream.
In that spirit, we look inward not just to find our dreams and materialise them, but also into the treasure chests of Borderless Journal to find writings that bring a smile to our lips. Tagore, translated by Fakrul Alam and Somdatta Mandal, leads the way as we start with humour and wonder in poetry and meander into a few prose pieces that evoke laughter, at times upending our current stream of thoughts or values. We move on to our three columnists, Rhys Hughes, Devraj Singh Kalsi and Suzanne Kamata, who bring laughter and uncover the nuances of the world around us on a monthly basis. Included also are the pieces by our travelling granny, Sybil Pretious, whose spirited travels prove that age is just a number. Capturing the spirit of diversity with a tinge of laughter, let us usher in the new year to a more hopeful and sturdy start.
Poetry
Giraffe’s Dad by Tagore: Giraffer Baba (Giraffe’s Dad), a short humorous poem by Tagore, has been translated from Bengali by Professor Fakrul Alam. Click here to read.
Humbled by a Pig: Farouk Gulsara meets a wild pig while out one early morning and muses on the ‘meeting’. Click here to read.
Leo Messi’s Magic Realism: Sports fan Saurabh Nagpal explores the magic realism in famous footballer Messi’s play with a soupçon of humour. Clickhere to read.
I am a Jalebi: Arjan Batth tells us why he identifies with an Indian sweetmeat. Click here to read why.
A Day at Katabon Pet Shop , a short story set amidst the crowded streets of Dhaka, by Sohana Manzoor. Click here to read.
Banjara author Ramesh Karthik Nayakdiscusses his new book, Chakmak (flintsone), giving us a glimpse of his world. We also have a brief introduction to his work. Clickhere to read.
Translations
Demanding Longevityby Quazi Johirul Islam has been translated from Bengali by Fakrul Alam. Clickhere to read.
Moonlight, a poem by Bashir Baidar, has been translated from Balochi by Fazal Baloch. Clickhere to read.
Maithili Poetryby Vidyanand Jha has been translated from Maithili by the poet himself. Click hereto read.
Kisholoy Roy writes of his encounter with Ruskin Bond
One evening at a city mall,
I met an elderly gentleman
at a café stall.
He seemed jovial and accessible.
His demeanour was
pleasing and lovable.
I was killing time
with nothing to do.
Chatting with someone interesting –
I always love to do.
The gentleman’s persona was magnetic
“You would love conversing with him,”
said my gut feeling and my whim.
Why not introduce myself?
Thought I.
After all there was no harm
in saying Hi!
My introduction was short and formal.
The gentleman seemed impressed,
and his reaction – cordial.
“Why don’t you sit?
Then we can have a chat.
You seem interesting,
and I, hopefully, will not be boring.”
I loved the offer and heartily accepted.
‘A lovely conversation’ – was the least I expected.
The gentleman introduced himself –
“I am Mr Bond – no not James but
Ruskin…Ruskin Bond.
I am a writer from the hill.
You know Pari Tibba?
That’s where I often chill.”
As we conversed more,
I learnt more and more.
About the hills, about Dehra,
about Landour -- its flora and fauna.
About Mr Bond’s books,
the characters in them
and their looks,
some incredible encounters,
some well learnt lessons,
some indelible moments,
some wise comments.
An hour passed and then
he got up.
As his driver arrived
for the pickup.
We wished each other and bade goodbye.
“Take care my friend” said he,
“until we meet next time.”
Humbled and quenched
That’s how I summarise
Meeting Mr Bond that evening
was surely a pleasant surprise.
Dr Kisholoy Roy is a PhD in Management with several years of teaching experience at the PG level. He is a published author of several books on management and has also authored fictions and books on cricket and cricketers listed on Amazon and other online bookstores. He has two published poetry collections titled, Thoughts of a NovicePoet and Perspectives.
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PLEASE NOTE: ARTICLES CAN ONLY BE REPRODUCED IN OTHER SITES WITH DUE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BORDERLESS JOURNAL
Ananto Prem(Endless Love) by Tagore, translated from Bengali by Professor Fakrul Alam. Click here to read.
Playlets byRabindranath Tagorereveal the lighter side of the poet. They have been translated from Bengali by Somdatta Mandal. Click here to read.
The Faithful Wife, a folktale translated from Balochi by Fazal Baloch. Click hereto read.
Leafless Trees, poetry and translation from Korean by Ihlwha Choi. Click here to read.
Ebar Phirao More(Take me Back) by Tagore, translated from Bengali by Mitali Chakravarty. Click here to read.
Pandies’ Corner
These narratives are written by youngsters from the Nithari village who transcended childhood trauma and deprivation. Will to be Human is based on a real life story by Sachin Sharma, translated from Hindustani by Diksha Lamba. Click here to read.
InStudies in Blue and White, PennyWilkes gives us a feast of bird and ocean photography along with poetry. Clickhere to read and savour the photographs.
G. Venkatesh looks at the ability to find silver linings in dark clouds through the medium of his experiences as a cricketeer and more. Click here to write.
What can be more scary and life-threatening than the risk of getting Covid-19? Keith Lyons finds how his daily joy has menacing dangers. Click hereto read.
Musings of the Copywriter
In When Books have Wings, Devraj Singh Kalsi talks of books that disappear from one book shelf to reappear in someone’s else’s shelf. Click here to read.
Notes from Japan
InOwls in Ginza, Suzanne Kamata takes us to visit an Owl Cafe. Clickhere to read.
Mission Earth
In No Adults Allowed!, Kenny Peavy gives a light hearted rendition in praise boredom and interaction with nature. Click hereto read.
P Ravi Shankar takes us on a trek to the Himalayas in Nepal and a viewing of Annapurna peak with a narrative dipped in history and photographs of his lived experience. Click here to read.
The Observant Immigrant
In A Bouquet of Retorts, Candice Louisa Daquin discusses the impact of changes in linguistic expressions. Click here to read.
Book Excerpts
An excerpt from a fast-paced novel set in Mumbai, Half-Blood by Pronoti Datta. Click here to read.
Dr Kisholoy Roypays a tribute to Ruskin Bond’s writing
THE ROOM ON THE ROOF
Seasons come and go. Years come and go. People come and go. A creator metamorphoses. The Room on the Roof stands witness.
Scores of characters transpired on myriads of pages. The typewriter keeps talking. An author’s creativity's realised. The Room on the Roof stands witness.
Grandfather, grandmother and the Maharani. Susanna, Binya, Rusty and Ranji. The Woman on Platform No.8 and The Girl from Copenhagen. Endearing characters, unforgettable stories. The Room on the Roof stands witness.
The Angry River and The Hidden Pool. The Cherry Tree and The Lagoon. Rain in the Mountains and The Prospect of Flowers. Keeps an author engaged and moving. The Room on the Roof stands witness.
Ostrich, parakeets, cats and mongrels. Snake, crocodiles, leopards and tigers. They all had tales to tell. With the readers, they went down well. The Room on the Roof stands witness.
Accolades here and there. Aficionados everywhere. Characters, stories and books roll in. One finds this Lone Fox Dancing. The Room on the Roof stands witness.
Dr Kisholoy Roy is a PhD in Management with several years of teaching experience at the PG level. He is a published author of several books on management and has also authored fictions and books on cricket and cricketers listed on Amazon and other online bookstores. He has two published poetry collections titled ‘Thoughts of a Novice Poet’ and ‘Perspectives’.
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PLEASE NOTE: ARTICLES CAN ONLY BE REPRODUCED IN OTHER SITES WITH DUE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO BORDERLESS JOURNAL
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