The Room on the Roof

Rusty #1

by Ruskin Bond

The Room on the Roof is Ruskin Bond’s masterpiece of adolescence and coming of age. Written when the author was seventeen, it brilliantly describes the hopes and passions that capture young minds and hearts. A moving tale of love and friendship, it has endured as Bond’s most beloved novel.

Genres: Fiction, India, Indian Literature, Classics, Young Adult, Coming Of Age, Childrens

152 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Ruskin Bond is an Indian author of British descent. He is considered to be an icon among Indian writers and children's authors and a top novelist. He wrote his first novel, The Room on the Roof, when he was seventeen which won John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Since then he has written several novellas, over 500 short stories, as well as various essays and poems, all of which have established him as one of the best-loved and most admired chroniclers of contemporary India. In 1992 he received the Sahitya Akademi award for English writing, for his short stories collection, "Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra", by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters in India. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 for contributions to children's literature. He now lives with his adopted family in Landour near Mussoorie.

Reviews

[Hriday · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book. Dehra - its hills, bazaars, street vendors, lakes and all the simple charms of a small town.

The best i have read of Ruskin Bond. It makes you rethink about your life, slow down and value the simple pleasures of life.

This book is simply profound and profoundly simple - one of the best i have read.

I wish i was Rusty, the protagonist :D

[Apoorva · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Room on the Roof” is the coming-of-age story centered on a lonely, orphaned Anglo-Indian boy Rusty. At 17, he is living with his strict guardian on the outskirts of the town Dehra with the members of the British community. He is not allowed to travel outside and have any contact with the Indians living in the town.

One incident provokes him to rebel against the authority and venture into the mysterious town forbidden to him. The book describes his struggles to live on his own, his budding friendships, and the pain of falling in love for the first time.

The story deals with the themes of isolation, loneliness, identity crisis. It beautifully captures the joys and woes of a young heart searching for happiness and purpose in his life while being apprehensive about the future.

The book has charming descriptions of the natural beauty and also the exhilarating bustle of the city teeming with diverse people. It warms your heart and makes you nostalgic about your younger years. I enjoyed the book. I highly recommend it if you want to read a good coming of age story.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had written something like this when I was 17..... (my mind stopped working)

But yes, this book needs a proper review.

Coming soon...

[Avani ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW.
He wrote this when he was just 17 years old?

Brilliantly written.

[Shadin Pranto · Rating 3 out of 5]

সতের বছরের এক কিশোর উপন্যাস লিখে ফেললো! কিন্তু প্রকাশক পাবে কোথায়? নিজ স্বদেশ ভারতে বইটির প্রকাশক জোগাড় হয়নি। উপন্যাস লেখক টিনেজার পাড়ি জমাল বিলেত৷ বেশ ক'বছর কাটলো ব্রিটেনে৷ ততদিনে সে একুশ বছরের যুবা৷ সতের বছর বয়সে লেখা উপন্যাসটি ব্রিটেনেই ছাপা হয়। এক ঢিলেই বাজিমাৎ! প্রথম উপন্যাস ' The Room On The Roof' লিখে পেলেন John Llewellyn Rhys Prize. এরপর আর যুবকটিকে ফিরে তাকাতে হয়নি৷ পাঁচ দশকের বেশি সময় ধরে সাহিত্যসেবা করে যাওয়া সেই মানুষটির নাম রাসকিন বন্ড।

রাসকিন বন্ডের আত্মজীবনীনির্ভর উপন্যাস ' The Room On The Roof '. এই উপন্যাসটি রাস্টি নামের এক অনাথ আ্যাংলো-ইন্ডিয়ান ছেলের গল্পই নয় ; স্নেহের বাঁধন, বন্ধুত্বের অকৃত্রিম টান কিংবা আবেগ মেশানো এক বিষাদের কথকথাও বটে৷

হিমাচল প্রদেশের ছোট্ট একটি শহর দেরা৷ এই শহরে একপাশে বাস করে আ্যংলো-ইন্ডিয়ান ও ব্রিটিশরা৷ অন্যদিকে, ঘিঞ্জি বাজার এলাকায় বসতি ভারতীয়দের৷ মিস্টার হ্যারিসন ব্রিটিশ পাড়ায় থাকেন৷ তারই পোষ্য অনাথ কিশোর রাস্টি৷ হ্যারিসন সাহেব কড়া মেজাজের লোক৷ রাস্টি তাকে ভয় খায়৷ স্থানীয় 'কালা আদমি'দের সাথে মেশা এমনকি তাদের লোকালয়মুখী হওয়াও বারণ সতের বছরের নিঃসঙ্গ, চুপচাপ কিশোর রাস্টির জন্য। যে ক'ঘর ব্রিটিশ আছে, তাদের বাড়ির আশেপাশেই সীমিত রাস্টির চলাফেরা। এটুকুই তার জগৎ।

হঠাৎ রাস্টির সাথে পরিচয় হলো ভারতীয় কিশোর সোমির৷ দেখা হলো, কথা হলো রণবীরের সাথেও৷ একাকী রাস্টির তাদের সঙ্গ খুবই ভালো লাগলো৷ বেশ একটা বন্ধুত্বও তৈরি হয়ে যায় তাদের মধ্যে।

কিন্তু সুখ বেশিদিন টেকেনি৷ বাজার থেকে সোমি, রণবীরদের সাথে আড্ডা দিয়ে ফিরে দেখে হ্যারিসন সাহেব চলে এসেছে৷ ���্থানীয় ছেলেদের সাথে মেশার মতো হীন অপরাধ সহ্য হলো না বিলাতি রক্তের হ্যারিসন সাহেবের৷ আচ্ছা ধোলাই দিল রাস্টিকে৷ স্মরণ করিয়ে দিল রাস্টির কেউ নেই৷ সে অনাথ৷ এ-ও বলে দিল, আবারও স্থানীয় লোকালয়ে গেলে পরিণাম শুভ হবে না৷

হোলি উৎসবে রাস্টিকে নিয়ে যেতে এসেছে রণবীর৷ সে তো মারধরের ঘটনা জানে না৷ নিষেধাজ্ঞা ভুলে রাস্টি চলে গেল রণবীরের সাথে৷ রঙখেলার উৎসবে নিজেকে নিজেই ভিন্নরূপে আবিষ্কার করলো রাস্টি৷ দারুণ আনন্দময় দিন কাটলো৷ ভুলেই গেল তার অভিভাবক হ্যারিসনের সর্তকবার্তা।

রঙ আর কাদায় কিম্ভুতকিমাকার অবয়ব নিয়ে হাজির হলো রাস্টি৷ তাকে এই দশায় দেখে ভয়ানক ক্ষেপে যায় হ্যারিসন সাহেব৷ প্রচণ্ড মারতে লাগল৷ কিন্তু এবার আর মার সহ্য করলো না রাস্টি। রুখে দাঁড়াল৷ গভীর রাতে বের হয়ে এলো পৃথিবীর পথে নামল একমাত্র 'অভিভাবক ' হ্যারিসন সাহেবের বাড়ি থেকে। কিন্তু ততক্ষণে বাজারের সব দোকান বন্ধ হয়ে গেছে৷ মারের চোটে শরীর অবসাদগ্রস্ত। এক দোকানের সামনেই ঘুমিয়ে পড়ে ক্ষুধার্ত রাস্টি।

সকালে রাস্টির সাথে দেখা হয় সোমির। তাকে সে বাসায় নিয়ে যায়৷ সোমির প্রতিবেশী জনাব কাপুরের পুত্র কিষাণকে পড়ানোর বিনিময়ে থাকা ও খাওয়ার ব্যবস্থাও হয়ে গেল রাস্টির। আর বুঝি ফিরতে হবে না অত্যাচারী হ্যারিসন সাহেবের কাছে!

রাস্টির এত সুখ কী সইবে? মিস্টার কাপুরের পরিবারে কতটা মানিয়ে নিতে পারবে রাস্টি? সোমি, রণবীরদের সাথে বন্ধুত্ব রইবে তো? নাকী এরচেয়েও রূঢ় বাস্তবতার মুখোমুখি হবে সতের বছরের আ্যংলো-ইন্ডিয়ান রাস্টি? প্রশ্নগুলো জানতে পড়তে হবে ' The Room On The Roof'

কাহিনি খুবই সাদামাটা। অথচ এর সহজবোধ্যতা পাঠক হিসেবে আমাকে ধরে রেখেছে একেবারে শেষপর্যন্ত। মনেই হয়নি মাত্র সতের বছর বয়সের এক কিশোরের রচনা এটি। লেখনীতে পরিপক্বতার লক্ষণ সুস্পষ্ট।

এই উপন্যাসে বড় কোনো বার্তা দিতে চাননি রাসকিন বন্ড৷ আদৌ কোনো বার্তা কিংবা মতাদর্শের প্রচার করেছেন কি না তা বলাই শক্ত। কিন্তু রাস্টির জীবনধারার বর্ণনায় ইতিবাচক চিন্তার শক্তিকে প্রাধান্য দিয়েছেন৷ প্রত্যক্ষভাবে জয়গান গেয়েছেন বন্ধুত্বের মহিমার৷ বিষাদের ছবি এঁকেছেন অত্যন্ত নিপুণ হাতে।

বেশি প্রত্যাশা নিয়ে নয়৷ কিশোর উপন্যাস উপভোগ করবার মানসিকতা থাকলেই পড়ুন রাস্টির জীবনকথা 'The Room On The Roof'. রাসকিন বন্ডের গদ্য সব সময় সুন্দর ও মোহময়। যে-কোনো পাঠক পড়ে আনন্দ পাবেন।

[Jarvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars Full Of Freedom!!!


This book is about Rusty who runs away from his guardian house to live with his Indian friends. His guardian hates Indian, considers them to be inferior but Rusty found true love and friendship with his friends.

This book shows a lot of different aspects of villages in India. From the described natural beauty of Dehra to those hospitable families, everything is shown so well! So part were funny when Rusty was with his friends and some parts where emotional like when Meena died and Mr. Kapoor married again.

A great book , overall. Loved that feeling of freedom which is shown, hence 4 stars full of freedom :D
Thanks for the recommendation, Arpit :)

[Archit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friendship. Love. Innocence.

Ruskin Bond at his best. The writing is fluent, mature and memorable. Such tenderness.

[Prabhjot Kaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Room on the Roof was written by Ruskin Bond when he was 17 and no wonder it struck such a chord with me when I read this as it beautifully captures the struggles of a young adult.

It is about an Anglo-Indian boy, Rusty who is not allowed to get in contact with other Indians and lives in a house with a guardian. Then one day Rusty runs away from his guardian house.

This is such a good story about finding your identity, your place and how to overcome loneliness and find happiness in the community and in life.

5 stars

[Sherin Punnilath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming to think about it, there was nothing much about the story :)
This could have happened in the next street (& gone unnoticed). And that’s the beauty of this novella.

I began, thinking it’s going to be boring, but found it quite interesting. Simple & Good.

[Zoeb · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the tender, still naive age of 13, I fell in love for the first time.

It was a year to remember. I remember seeing her, who would soon be the woman of my dreams, for the first time as I would always see her and come to love her - her beauty blossoming and blooming and filling my young heart with the promise of a happy life shared together with her.

It was also the year, when I read Ruskin Bond's "The Room On The Roof", a novel that, no matter whatever other great novels I have read and loved and admired, will always hold a special place in my heart.

As it happens, just as "The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer", "Billy Liar", "The Catcher In The Rye", "The Little Prince", "To Kill A Mockingbird", "Little Women" can be deemed as books that every young one should read, when just on the brink of coming of age and realising adolescence and adulthood with all its shades, for me, the book that really helped me navigate the newfound confusion of adolescence was this book, this simple, bittersweet, tragicomic, mesmerising and moving story about a boy escaping the strict discipline of his guardian and blending, dissolving and disappearing into the haze of freedom and frolic in post-colonial India.

Yes, there is something admirably Kipling-esque about this magical book, not least because Bond himself was largely influenced by Kipling, but also because, as in "Kim", "The Jungle Books" and "Captains Courageous", this is a story, at heart, about a boy abandoning his identity to discover a new self that he had never known to exist.

A new self...a new person, no longer a child, no more a boy to be put down upon by stifling social norms, an outcast, an English boy now surrendering gleefully to his primal yearning for the heat and dust, the colour and chaos of India. Isn't that a beautiful story?

Except that Bond surprises, amuses, moves and even saddens us by taking that moment of realisation into a beautifully woven narrative with endearingly believable characters, most of whom turn out to be this boy's new-found friends, from the wise and upbeat Somi to the devilish yet cowardly Suri, from the toughly built but warm Ranbir to the scrappy, reckless Kishen. These are all even more fascinating as characters because they will remind anybody of the friends that one had at this age.

Yes, a story of friendship, frolic, adventures, inevitable separation, the equally heart-breaking solitude that follows this separation, that aimless, drifting restlessness akin to the lonely, inconsequential trails of a pariah in the streets...but also a story of first love, love born from the first stolen glimpse, sealed by a stolen moment of intimacy and shattered like a dream too good to believe.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌼 "...what is this one life in the whole pattern of life, what is this one death but a passing of time... And if I were to die now, suddenly and without cause, what would happen, would it matter...we live without knowing why or to what purpose."

🧡 "Madness and freedom and violence were new to him: loneliness was familiar, something he understood."

"He had seen and experienced life to the full, and life has bruised and scarred him but it had not crippled him."

"Not because I am unhappy - I have never been happier elsewhere - but because I am restless as I always have been. I don't suppose I'll anywhere be for long..."

"

This book broke my heart again yet it is one of the best coming of age stories. Part autobiographical, part fictional. I am so glad I reread the book after two years of reading it for the first time.

This book is so easy to read, so easy to remember everything, so easy for it to get to my heart and mind, so easy for it to make me wonder about my life all over again while going through its various lines which make me ask myself for whom I am living for.

The writing is flawless. One of the best books I have read till date. The characters are developed so well.

The book displays perfectly the pangs of first love, the joy of having a trusted friend out of nowhere, the bond of found families. Everything about this book is perfection for me.

And yes, the author wrote it when he was seventeen. Bless that one woman who believed in this book and finally let the book published after years of facing rejections.

[Gorab · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5
My first Ruskin Bond book and I'm surely going to read more by him. Coming of age simple narration (semi-biographical) by an Anglo-Indian. Loved the stress on friendship and individuality.
Thanks for the reco Arpit.

[Tusharika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unwavering 5 Stars to any Ruskin Bond book

Ruskin Bond's books and writings are little bundles of joys that you just can't help going back to. His writing is like a breath of fresh air. You cannot get enough of it.His description of the surroundings transport you to the the hilly regions,lush green forests,scent of flowers.It is like walking "The light spring rain rode on the wind, into the trees, down the road" bringing an exhilarating freshness to the air.Even when I had never been to Mussoorie or Dehra, I used to imagine being at those places, walking the hills like Rusty did.

This is a coming-of-age story of Rusty, a lonely anglo-indian boy,about friendship,love,innocence and growing up in the hills as he discovers life after stepping out of his cocoon.The story is inspired by Ruskin Bond's own adventures and much of its content is autobiographical.He weaves a charming tale with beautiful description of the lively bazaar.

I got a chance to meet him a few years back and got this book's copy autographed because it holds a special place in my heart. It was my first book by Ruskin Bond,my first novel/novella sort of, and it turned out to be the writer's first book too. He wrote it when he was 17.(I think I read it for the first time when I was 12 or 13). His writing mirrors his simplicity and humbleness. Despite being such an amazing and well recognized writer, he chooses to stay in a cute little cottage in the hills,writing stories about people from the hills and places nearby. He visits a bookstore nearby to meet his fans and autograph his books.

I am a fangirl,through and through.

[Tarinee · Rating 2 out of 5]

For my friends :
"when we met for the first time,it was a sunny day .
the heaven smiling and spreading the warmth.
The warmth of our smile .The warmth of our heart.

when we will be separated ,let it rain.
let the heaven cry .let it be damp and cold .
let it reflect the moods our hearts, that will never beat in a rhythm again.
mine will always miss a beat for you and your's a couple for me. because my friend, God knows you have always loved me more than I could love you back."

for the book:
I loved the words ..so simple and powerful
I loved the lines..most beautiful I have ever read
I loved the paragraphs..they spoke to my heart
I loved the chapters.they stirred memories of a beautiful village , an innocent childhood and of friendships you can trade a kingdom for
But I didn't like the story

for Rusty:

The story is about Rusty
He thinks beautifully about friendship
He speaks beautifully about friendship
yet he doesn't know friendship
This story is about him
I didn't like him
I didn't like his story

it's about Meena and Rusty .I could not feel right about it just because you could write it with beautiful words .. and when he described to Suri that meena and I made love all the time with mr. kapoor only a 100 yards away ,I can't help but think of a 17 year old taking pleasure at accomplishing something forbidden .next chapter Rusty calling Kishen(Meena's son) again Bhaiya .when you call someone brother you play the part

Ok Mr. Kapoor is a drunkard and doesn't deserve Meena .but just because he is wrong doesn't make Rusty right . how beautifully he may try to described it as love ,I could see nothing but a lusty 17 year old Rusty .where is the love sir?

And words like freedom ,liberty to justify things is just oversimplification of things . sometimes restraint can be liberty and to surrender is freedom .

I appreciate the fact that Bond never agreed to change that part in further editions stating that this book was by an adolescent about adolescence and he don't want to change it .A brave an honest decision considering the char is based on Bond himself .but how much I love Ruskin sir ,I can't bring myself to like Rusty or justify that single action and those couple of paragraphs .except that single part, this book was one of the finest of Bond ,I have read till date

for Ruskin Bond:

Giving two star to this book is heart breaking
But nobody dies out of heart break
so,I will survive
To read another book by Bond
To again fall in love with his work
To again visit that beautiful Room on the roof
In some other story ..in some other book
when there is no Rusty in that room but only Bond..Ruskin bond ,my favorite author :)

[Anurag Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Little about the Writer

Ruskin Bond is one of the most celebrated children’s authors in India. He has been actively writing since 1951. In his five decades of writing career Ruskin Bond has lost track of number of books he has written, and he is still active in the literary field enriching them with the tales from Himalayas where he has spent most of his life. Ruskin Bond has been felicitated by Sahitya Akademi Award and Padma Shri.

The Book

The Room on the Roof is Ruskin Bonds first novel, written at the age of seventeen. This novel is winner of 1957 John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize and is a delight to read.

It is story of an Anglo-Indian, 16 year old boy, named Rusty from Dehra. After his parents’ death, Rusty had to live with his English guardian, who wants to turn Rusty into a complete Englishmen, and is very Victorian when it came to discipline. Rusty on the other hand, fascinated by the colours of India, the Bazaar near their home (needless to say, where he is never allowed to go) and colourful festivals, decided to break free.

With his newly found friends, who come from all walks of life, Rusty embarks on an adventure of lifetime.

This book is about the friendship, caring, the youth- when anything is possible, and a sense of loneliness, as Rusty puts it “Inside of me … I am all lonely”. This book portrays Indian in its true bright colours, may it be a bazaar, fields, people bathing at a well, or a railway compartment.

This is the first of many adolescent novels featuring Rusty.

[Shom Biswas · Rating 5 out of 5]

সতেরো বছর বয়েসে'ই পড়েছিলাম এইটা, লা মার্টিনিয়ারের স্কুল লাইব্রেরি থেকে নিয়ে। ক্লাস ১১-১২ মানে তো ইঞ্জিনিয়ারিং / ডাক্তারি পড়ার জন্য প্রতিযোগিতামূলক পরীক্ষার প্রস্তুতি - সে এক হিমশিম ব্যাপার। দু বছরে বোধয় খান'চারেকের বেশি গল্পের বই পড়িনি, লাইব্রেরি থেকে নিয়ে এই একটাই। এমনি'ই ঘুরতে ঘুরতে লাইব্রেরিতে ঢুকে পড়েছিলাম - এইটা নিয়ে বেরিয়ে এসেছিলাম (এইটা আর ভেগ্রান্টস অভ দ্য ভ্যালি - দুটোকে একসাথে নিয়ে একটা বই )। ছোট বই, কিন্তু দু সপ্তাহ'ধরে পড়েছিলাম। মাঝে একবার রিনিউ করতে যাওয়া ধরে দু'বছরে ওই তিনবার'ই লাইব্রেরি গেছিলাম।

বইটা নিয়ে আর কী বলবো? স্বপ্নমাখা ছোটবেলায় পড়া বই। শীর্ষেন্দু, মতি নন্দী, দীনেন্দ্রনাথ, সত্যজিৎ রায়, নারায়ণ দেবনাথ, রাসকিন বন্ড, আঙ্কল পাই, ঈনিড ব্লাইটন, রয় অভ দ্য রোভার্স, চাচা চৌধুরী - এঁরাই তো আমার ছোটবেলা।

দেহরাদুনে একবার'ই গিয়েছিলাম - গুরগাঁওয়ে থাকার সময় , লম্বা উইকেন্ড ড্রাইভ। বলাই বাহুল্য , বাকি বন্ধুদেরকে দাঁড় করিয়ে রেখে ল্যান্ডোউরে যাওয়া হয়ে ওঠে নি - কিন্তু সে তীর্থযাত্রাটা তো করতে হবে কোনওদিন। তাড়াতাড়ি'ই করতে হবে। একটা প্রণাম, একটা সই, একটা ছবি। বেশি কিছু নয়।

(joint review of two books)

[Bookishbong Moumita · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a Ruskin Fan just like me , you definately need to read his first book. If you want to judge it as a strict reviewer you will not give it more than 3 star I guess. But if you a teenager and reading a book that you can connect with to much , you will love it . Read this one ! And don't forget to discus your thoughts with me. Thank you

[Vishakha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm visiting my parents and amongst the many other perks, utterly relishing the endless supply of adrak chai (ginger tea with milk) prepared so lovingly by my father. This happy state of affairs has become unbelievably blissful as now I'm in possession of rows upon rows of books -- many of them left here by my covetous siblings. There are so many of these musty, old and sometimes shiny, new books that I've abandoned all strategies to pick and choose from the stack and instead will devour the ones I set my eyes on first. 

This one is a coming-of-age book written by a 17-year-old Ruskin Bond based on his own experiences in Dehradun (a city in the foothills of North India) during the 1950s. Rusty, the orphaned Anglo-Indian protagonist, runs away to escape the unendurable tyranny in the house of his guardian. He leaves behind his lonely and claustrophobic life within the confines of the European part of the town and ventures into the bustle outside. Rusty is supported in his adventure by a bunch of recently befriended teenagers who help him find a job and a place to live - his room on the roof. This newly acquired independence leads to boisterous, tumultuous times tempered with companionship, love, loss, maturity, and a much-needed feeling of belonging for Rusty which he finally finds through genuine friendships. 

 I would have enjoyed it more during my school days, nonetheless, I still relished this charming little ode to freedom, youth, and the beauty of Dehradun. Simple and fun to read, this little gem can be breezed through in an evening or two. 

[Rupsha Ghosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart touching story. An anglo-Indian boy who does not remember his parents encounters the beak of adolescence and the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
like always this will have a special spot in my heart because this is what made me love reading in the first place.

[Hari Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to give this book more than 5 stars, but Goodreads made the limit. And this is probably one of the best books I've ever read. I loved all the characters very much. This book has made me a die-hard fan of Mr. Ruskin Bond and is the best of his works.

[Astha Prakash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cannot believe he wrote this when he was seventeen. So beautifully written. The scenes so well-described, and feelings so effortlessly expressed. Loved the simplicity of it all. I was lucky to get this book autographed by him :)

[Nikhilesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The light spring rain rode on the wind, into the trees, down the road; it brought an exhilarating freshness to the air, a smell of earth, a scent of flowers; it brought a smile to the eyes of the boy on the road."

These are unabashed fanboy worship five stars. The book is a simple young adult story about a seventeen year old boy discovering adulthood. I cant explain why I loved it so much the way you cant just explain why one loves good music*. As a child one book The Ruskin Bond Children's Omnibus by Ruskin Bond made a great impact on me. It shook me away from boredom and made me feel the sunlight filtering through the neem trees and the sting of dust on a broken village road. And for twenty years I kept myself away from the writing of this author, perhaps because I was afraid of the way it would get me vulnerable and weak.
But I knew reading Ruskin Bond was going to feel like coming home. In my brain I am going to make room of my own and build poetic adventures of the elements of nature.

"The litchi trees were covered with their pink skinned fruit, and the mangoes were almost ripe. The mango is a passionate fruit, its inner gold sensuous to the lips and tongue. The grass had not yet made up its mind to remain yellow or to turn green and would probably keep its dirty colour until the monsoon rains arrived.
Meena met Rusty under the banana trees."

Written and published in 1957 (YA genre probably wasnt flourishing in the popular form like we know it now) at the age of 19, it reads so much like contemporary YA fiction, except its much more poetic.

"They laughed: but there was no great joy in their laughter, they laughed for the sake of friendship.
"Best favourite friend." said Somi throwing a handful of mud in Rusty's face."

That stuff friendship and humanity like a gust of a warm ether strikes my breath as I read this. Those are the poetic non-words between the sentences that all friends feel.
Growing up, seeing life in a light of one's own eyes, here goes hand in hand with the rhythms of nature. This book will show teenagers how to find a way to see life, battle its injustices and feel nature in its sensuous and mysterious play.
Questions pored over by teenagers/ young adults seem far more important than the ones by adults. Because words here seem to provide the stuff of life, Little Things, as one other author would have said...

"The evening was full of sounds. Rusty noticed the sounds because he was happy and a happy person notices things."

I feel as we grow old, inadvertently gaps in our humanity widen. The words of beautiful and wise books provide fodder for the gaps in our humanity. Perhaps infinitesimally we get to be whole again. Wisdom from nature, in this book seems to seep in gently. And the boy grapples with identity and purpose, me and Others. An Anglo Indian orphan steps across the line, into the bazaar, the small town and the forests of India. How many young adult books are also significant, so glaringly in the post-colonial, context? At the margin of the bazaar - worlds are colliding - Rusty is in the no- man's land - an orphan who looks British but is one with the soil of the place.
The patriarchy, parents, culture, nation, powers that be, dictate our margins. They teach us, educate us to define our lives. Alas, to define, is to limit.
Rusty's eyes open to the things allowed and disallowed, the circumstances as they stand, the lines drawn, the indifference and injustices. He can see the world of colors and paradoxes and he crosses the line to know for himself how effortless it was. To know that effort was to know how powers that be terrorize you with their rules, and spankings and intimidations.

"Inside of me" he said , "I'm all lonely."

He is Jane Eyre, alone, bruised and battered in the rain, helpless and directionless. He is Oliver Twist, a symbol of larger than life pure innocence in a violent and indifferent world.A silent brilliant red streak in a dirty green pond. Sometimes he is like Wordsworth seeking refuge in the womb of nature..."like a man/Flying from something that he dreads".
Perhaps coming of age is seeing the true nature of our freedom. Without belongings, money, loved ones, home..... stripped away (quite simply stripping away to see ourselves for what we are, we have to strip away, let go all that is NOT US)Rusty's spiritual poetic growth has now begun.

* good music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsdYn... Driving in the rain by Mychael Danna, Girl Interrupted OST

[Sharmila °˖✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing read and this time it's a novel about adolescence, a search for identity, a quest for self and understanding the complexities of life..!!

The novel starts with the smell of the fresh earth in the mountains of Dehra after the first drizzle of rain welcoming the season of life- the Spring. Yes!! If you are familiar with the writing style of Mr.Bond you would know how beautifully he describes Dehra in each of his works. One could literally smell the mountains.
The story unfolds itself and we are introduced to the protagonist Rusty- an Anglo Indian boy who lives with his strict guardian as he had lost his parents in his early age. He is a boy of 16... about to hit his puberty. He is portrayed as a very lonely character who wants to escape from the mundane life spent with his guardian. He spends most of his time daydreaming and wishing for a sense of freedom, a splash of colour in his life.
"Every day he walked aimlessly along the road, over the hillside, brooding on the future, or dreaming of sudden and perfect companionship, romance and heroics; hardly ever conscious of the present."
I find Rusty a bit similar to the boy from Joyce's 'Araby'. The same picture of the emotional turmoil one goes through in their adolescence is portrayed in both the characters. Not only that... the bazaars, the bustling streets full of shopkeepers, women and children, the strict guardian... everything at certain points reminded me of 'Araby'.

Rusty is Everyman. Everyone has been that kid, the one seeking out his own identity, one looking for a purpose, for something to call his own, even when one may or may not have had all the family and comforts they can ever imagine. What Rusty shares with us is an emotional roller coaster, a transitional yet significantly influential part of life that all of us go through. And through Rusty, the author speaks with that part of you.
"We don’t know why we live. It is no use trying to know. But we have to live..because we really want to. And as long as we want to, we have got to find something to live for and even die for it."

Ruskin Bond did full justice with the other characters such as Somi, Ranbir, Kishen and Meena as well. He has given every characters such depths that one will remember them long after finishing the book.

Ruskin Bond surely doesn’t slack even a little in guiding the reader through Rusty’s journey. Through his charming writing he ensures that the reader lives and breathes each moment with Rusty, be it in the crowded and disorderly bazaar, the hot and steamy chaat shop, the colored streets of the town during holi, or the remote and dense forests, the myriad rivers, the vast mountains, the big maidans. Each scene is handled well and the book is supplied with many other beautiful sights and places in and around Dehradun. It definitely deserves a solid 5 star from me. :)

[Jasmine]

Rusty, a sixteen-year-old Anglo-Indian boy, is dissatisfied with life in the declining European community at Dehra Dun… Unhappy with the strict ways of his English guardian, Rusty runs away from home to live with Indian friends. Plunging for the first time into the dream-bright world of the bazaar, Hindu festivals and other aspects of Indian life, Rusty is enchanted...and is lost forever to the prim proprieties of the European community... ‘Like an Indian bazaar itself, the book is filled with the smells, sights, sounds, confusion and subtle organization of ordinary Indian life’ —Santha Rama Rau in the New York Times Book Review ‘Has a special magic of its own’ —Herald Tribune Book Review ‘Considerable charm and spontaneity…’ —San Francisco Chronicle ‘Very engaging…’ —The Guardian ‘Moving in its simplicity and underlying tenderness…a novel of marked originality.’ —The Scotsman ‘Mr Bond is a writer of great gifts…’ —The New Statesman

[Pooja Banga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok ok read
Ruskin bond is a excellent author ..I didn't read his books earlier but when I started reading them I couldn't stop reading it .
Story-The Room on the Roof is Ruskin Bond’s masterpiece of adolescence and coming of age. Written when the author was seventeen, it brilliantly describes the hopes and passions that capture young minds and hearts. A moving tale of love and friendship, it has endured as Bond’s most beloved novel.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book during my school days, and I still remember everything from the story. It was such a great experience, because these few books are the reason why I started reading more and more novels!!!

[~Preeti~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I was feeling nostalgic and Ruskin bond just turned 87. He is among one of the first authors any Indian kid reads. So, I picked his first-ever book written in 1953, for a reread.😊😊
I think it remains special because it's a book about adolescence by an adolescent.

[Akash (Turtle) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely lovely book.. it conveys the life of the protagonist Rusty so beautifully that it is very relatable... Short and sweet.

[Namratha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruskin Bond's works are the literary equivalent of quiet walks through mist shrouded hill stations. And The Room on the Roof is probably his crowning gem.

Written by Bond when he was seventeen years old, it tells the tale of a lonely teenage ango-indian boy called Rusty. Brought up under the harsh Victorian discipline of his European guardian in Dehra Dun, Rusty eventually rebels and breaks free. He discovers the true flavours of India and the convoluted meaning of friendship in a noisy earthy desi bazaar.

Along the way, Rusty falls in love, faces heartbreak and impotently watches his tight (and yet, loosely wound) circle of friends drift in and out of his life. He needs to explore what he himself expects from life and has to face the mental trials and financial tribulations that every insecure young adolescent goes through during those hellish years.

While this book promptly falls into the YA Lit. category, it could most definitely belong to a standalone genre that can best be termed as "Ruskin Bond Lit." Time slows down, dragonflies buzz lazily around your head, sunbeams peek through the shade of a banyan tree and nature comes alive in inimitable Bond style. Add to that, his observations of people, ranging from sozzled saabs to soft-hearted sweaty chaatwaalas to tired yet beautiful young ladies with jasmine entwined in their jet black locks and the stage is set for a cozy read.

The Room on the Roof effectively captures adolescence in all it's fretsome glory.

[Nirav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruskin Bond's first book when he was only SEVENTEEN. Who writes so smoothly at 17? I wonder people even write such books anymore. This book has everything in it; death, love, sadness, anger, friendship. Such emotions weaved into words and this book is just out of the world. You got to read it if you haven't yet. The illustrated edition is so very colorful and fun to read. Really loved all the paintings inside it. Everyone should read this book before they die or give up reading. It brings back a lot of memories of childhood. Mesmerising is the word.