THE NIGHT TRAIN AT DEOLIThis short story was written by Ruskin Bond.
He is a writer who can communicate deep feelings in a simple way. This story is about an attachment to strangers and why we cherish them even though we do not meet them ever again.In this story, Ruskin Bond narrates his experience during one of his train journeys to Dehra as an 18 Years old. He tells us that he used to spend his vacation every summer in his grandmother’s place in Dehra and had to pass a small lonely station, Deoli amidst the jungle on the way. He wonders why the train stopped there for ten minutes regularly without reason and feels sorry for the lonely little platforms.On one such journey , the author happens to see a pale looking girl selling baskets. She appears to be poor, but with grace and dignity, her eyes attracts the author.
The girl offers to sell the basket to him. He initially refuses to buy and later he buy one with little hesitation. Both of them just look at each other for quite some times, just as it strikes a chord of affection between them. He longs to see her, her searching and eloquent eyes, again on his return journey. The second time he sees her. Both of them feel pleased to see each other, a smile on their faces , it seems like a meeting of old friends.
Silence reigns and speak more than words. Both of them separate unwillingly as the train leaves the station , with the hope of meeting again. The author spends the remainder of the journey and a long time later thinking about her. The next summer he rushes to go to Dehra eager to meet the girl. This time she is not to be seen at the station though he waits for a long time. He again waits to see her but all ends in vain. All the same the author also suggests to his readers that he did not want to project himself like a hero of a movie where the hero would meet his sweet heart going through all the hardships and win her over.
Life is a constant process which cannot be stopped. We can only carry memories forward while life goes on. The author brings the reader to the realistic world rather that a imaginary Or unreal world.
Life is not like a fiction novel or a movie, losing and gaining becomes part of life’s journey. He prefers to keep hoping and dreaming waiting for the girl.
