All Roads Lead To Ganga

November 19, 2009
I just realized that there has been a silence on my blog for quite some time now and it definitely needs to be broken soon, in fact right now. Though there are many topics on which I wanted to blog but considering my time availability, I think let me keep this post limited to the last book which I read by one of my favorite authors – Mr. Ruskin Bond.

There is something magical about him which just never lets me get bored of his writings ever. Finished reading “All Roads Lead to Ganga” recently, though I never read detailed travel books but still considering the fact that it was from Mr. Bond, I couldn’t resist picking this off the shelf. If nothing else, I was sure to enjoy the Ruskinista description of hills and valleys in the book and well the book surely came up to my expectations. This is a travel memoir, wherein Ruskin Bond captures the breathtaking beauty and splendor of this magical landscape, describing with nostalgia and affection the places and people he has lived with and encountered for over forty years. In a very engaging way he describes his different stages of lives at places like Garhwal, Mussorie, Dehradun, his simple life amongst simple people and the joy of living amidst nature and mountains of India. Here are few reasons which I think makes this book a very pleasurable read:

  • It’s simply mesmerizing. The lucid way, in which he describes the beauty of nature, somehow takes you to some other world, something which you now only get either in your weekend trips or some country side breaks.
  • As is the case with all Ruskin book, this one is also yet another epitome of simplicity and exquisiteness.
  • It makes you relive your childhood days when life was far away from city madness and rush, it makes you nostalgic for those days when plucking fruits from trees was for real, when bathing with cold water even during winters used to be natural and when festivals’ biggest charm used to be those mom cooked special yummy dishes! It does make you yearn for those quaint little charms of life.
A good read if you’re a Ruskin fan and if you’ve not read it till now. Read it recently that now he is coming with another book “Five” which is on adult relationships and complexities of life. For a change this book is not going to be set amongst hills and mountains. Now I’m so eager to read this book as soon as it comes out. BTW I also managed to read some other books in last month like “The Undomestic Goddess” by Sophie Kinsella which was fun like all other Kinsella series and “2 States” by Chetan Bhagat which was also nice and so relatable. But I’ll leave my views on 2 states for some other post. Time to end this one, hope to come back with another one soon 🙂

5 comments

  1. Smita
    Reply

    Good to see ur blog updated 🙂

    I have this Ruskin book, and I think u know that am a self proclaimed RB fan and make it a point to collect all his books. I read them when am looking out time with myself!!! 🙂

    I found Undomestic Godess kind of OK in comparison to her other books!!!

  2. Nu
    Reply

    Tnx for the info 🙂 As usual the book snap shot was useful 🙂

    Will grab my copy soon 🙂

  3. Bedazzled
    Reply

    havent read Ruskin bond before.. but have heard great reviews everywhere .. undomestic goodess was fun .. Chetan bhagat .. well not a great fan of his writing ..

  4. Chaithrika
    Reply

    I agree with you. Ruskin bond has some magic in his writings which absorbs us completely. His writings soothe the senses and I feel peace and great joy after reading them.

  5. silentwhisperss
    Reply

    I wonder why I haven't any RB book till the date! But the way, you have reviewed this book, I am feeling tempted to give it a try. 🙂

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