A SHORT

MONSOON

DIARY

RUSKIN BOND

1http://s.chaSo121865452

About the author

Born in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh. He is an Indian author of British descent.

Ruskin Bond's Notes from a Small Room Moments of inspiration come to all of us. These are times when our imagination takes flight and there's an urge to pen down a few lines. It happens to me during the monsoons - seeing how lovely everything starts looking. The rains are infinitely romantic and there's a regenerating beauty to the season that is quite hard to describe.It is with this sense of endless wonder and child-like joy that Ruskin Bond writes from his small room about all things that make an impression on him. And with his ardor for nature, even an ant's movement doesn't escape his sensitive eye.

June:24Monsoon starts in last week of July and continues till the end of August The first day of monsoon mist. With the mist everything in nature has gone a drastic change. The birds seem to be quiet with the mist covering the hills. Not only does it covers the hill but also leaves a shadow of silence. Only an hour ago the author was able to hear the trees buzzing with bird’s song. Now it seems to him that the forest is deathly still (calm and tranquil) as if it were night with the mist covering the hills.

The author can hear Bijju calling to his sister through the mist. He can hear his voice but he cannot see Bijju because of the mist.

June 25:

The place welcomes real monsoon rain.The plants seem to know about the change.With the first monsoon rain, the cobra lily raises its head from the ferns (leaves). According to the author the mist provides a privacy.

Cobra Lily

June 27:The rain has brought the news of some seasonal visitors likeA leopard, several thousand leeches

The author remembers

that the previous day afternoon the leopard had lifted a dog

from near the servant’s

quarter below the school

In the evening, the leopard attacked one of

Bijju’s cow

But the leopard ran away at the approach of Bijju’s mother who came screaming imprecations.

The other new arrivals are the scarlet minivets.

The author feels that they cannot hide themselves among the leaves as they are brightly coloured and appear to him like brilliant jewels hidden in the tree.But sometimes they manage to go unnoticed by remaining absolutely silent.

The drongos are aggressive and they love to chase the poor scarlet minivets.

Tree CreeperThey are the insectivorous birds and now that in monsoon there is no dearth of food , they are moving up the trunk of the tree eating up the insects all the way.

Aug:2People become weary of monsoon. The rain falls on the roof producing a drumming sound. Though the tin roofs are accounted to develop leaks, there is a feeling of being untouched by and yet in touch with rain.

Aug 3The rain stops. The clouds give way to the sun. The author can hear the tinkle of cow bells, he can hear the crow crying desperately......The author can also hear the song of a whistling thrush that emerges from the depth of the valley.

Whistling thrush

Aug:12The author tells that they have not seen the sun for eight to nine days because of heavy rain and mist. He has no interest to go out. He moves about in his room and looks out of the window.....?The author says that the late monsoon flowers begin to appear in the hillsides.

Wild Balsam

Dahlias

BEGONIAS

GROUND ORCHIDS

Aug 31:The seeds of cobra lily are turning red signifying the end of monsoon. The author finds different varieties of orchids on the grassy slopes of landour.Due to the monsoon, snakes and rodents move out of their holes and burrows and take shelter in roofs, attics and godowns.

MAUVE LADY’S SLIPPER

WHITE BUTTERFLY ORCHIDS

SHREW

a

Chuchundars are lucky as they bring in money

October 3:The beginning of winter rain. Snow at higher altitudes. The sky is spread out with a golden light after the hailstorm.

Jan 26:The author is left alone in his room as his friend has left. He experiences absolute silence. He realizes the pure stream of silence within him. He is surrounded by the rhythm of rain. The mist engulfs the house in a dark caress.

March 23:It marks the end of winter. The sky becomes clear after a hailstorm. The author can see the rainbow forming.