I bought the Kindle edition of Ruskin Bond’s The Cherry Tree at a very cheap price. Ruskin Bond is widely loved for his simple, poignant stories, so I thought that I must lay hands on these gems. I bought three of his works, The Cherry Tree, The Room on the Roof, and The Best of Ruskin Bond. Thus it happens that my memories of Ruskin Bond’s stories came leaping back through the windows of technology.
The Cherry Tree is the story of a young boy called Rakesh who plants a seed and then watches it grow, amidst many obstacles, into a strong tree that gives shade and life. It is nothing out of the ordinary. But when Rakesh becomes ecstatic that the plant has taken roots, or when he becomes sad that animals have nipped off the leaves, you laugh and cry with him. The story is short, simple, and sweet, with a message that only Ruskin Bond can convey with his stories.
As I read the story, I realized that I had read this before! It had been a part of my school curriculum. I don’t remember which year it was, though. I remember learning a few words from this narrative. For example, ‘tang’. We had a section of classwork that listed down the meanings of difficult or unknown words. This was one of them.
Once I realized this, something warm washed over me. A feeling of being transported back to the days when I was still impressionable and when I could retain new words easily. A rush of nostalgia that is difficult to replicate. I guess Ruskin Bond’s stories wield such a power over you. The power to transport you back in time while telling a timeless story!
The Cherry Tree is a short yet beautiful story. I don’t think I’m going to forget this in a hurry, now that my memory has been conveniently refreshed!
Rating: 5/5 stars
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