My Favourite Short Stories Revisited Part 49
THE NIGHT TRAIN AT DEOLI
My Favourite Love Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
I love reading short stories.
You can read a short story in one sitting and it immediately fills you with an exquisite sense of satisfaction.
I love writing short stories too, and I am sure you have read many of my short stories in my creative writing blog and in my recently published book COCKTAIL which has 27 short stories about relationships.
Dear Reader, let me tell you about my all time favourite short story – The Night Train At Deoli by Ruskin Bond.
The Night Train at Deoli is a beautiful story of unrequited love. Each one of us has experienced this wonderfully painful emotion of unrequited love.
Dear Reader, I am sure you too have experienced the delightful heart-ache of longing, yearning – an alluring attraction for someone who is out of reach – a one way love – a love unreciprocated, a love unrequited.
Well I am quite familiar with the delicate tenderness of unrequited love. In fact, my life story is a story of so many unrequited loves.
The Night Train at Deoli is narrated in first person by a college boy who travels by the night train from Delhi to Dehra Dun every year to spend his summer vacations at his grandmother’s place. On its journey up the hills of the terai, early in the morning, the train stops at Deoli, a lonely station in the wilderness… “Why it stopped at Deoli. I don’t know. Nothing ever happened. Nobody got off the train and nobody got in…and then the bell would sound, the guard would blow his whistle, and presently Deoli would be left behind and forgotten” – isn’t the description brilliant, so breathtaking in its simplicity.
On one such journey the boy sees a girl at Deoli, selling baskets, and is smitten by her… “I sat up awake for the rest of the journey. I could not rid my mind of the picture of the girl’s face and her dark, smouldering eyes”.
He looks out for her on his return journey and is thrilled when he sees her… “I felt an unexpected thrill when I saw her…I sprang off the foot-board and waved to her. When she saw me, she smiled. She was pleased that I remembered her. I was pleased that she remembered me. We were both pleased, and it was almost like a meeting of old friends”…superb writing, isn’t it…simply superb.
It is time for the train to leave, and for the lovers to part… “I felt the impulse to put her on the train there and then…I caught her hand and held it… ‘I have to go to Delhi,’ I said…she nodded, ‘I do not have to go anywhere.’…the guard blew his whistle…and how I hated the guard for doing that…”
Beautifully poignant, marvellously written, the story touches the very fragile chords of your heart.
I will not tell you the rest of this story, but I can assure you, that if you are a lover at heart, you will be touched with compassion for the protagonist and as the story elevates you to the romantic mood you will relate your very own tale of unrequited love.
I am sure you have read this story, but if you haven't it is a must read. The Night Train At Deoli is probably Ruskin Bond's most anthologized story and you will find it in many collections including the one published by Penguin titled The Night Train At Deoli and Other Stories. Though The Night Train At Deoli is my all time favourite, I like many stories in this anthology, especially, The Woman on Platform 8, His Neighbour’s Wife and Death of a Familiar.
If you are a lover of romantic fiction you must read this story - it is sure get you in a blue mood nostalgically yearning for your unrequited love.
Did you like reading this story?
I am sure you will like all the 27 stories in my recently published book of short stories COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-81910
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-ka
COCKTAIL ebook
If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9
About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
vikramkarve@gmail.com
THE NIGHT TRAIN AT DEOLI
My Favourite Love Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
I love reading short stories.
You can read a short story in one sitting and it immediately fills you with an exquisite sense of satisfaction.
I love writing short stories too, and I am sure you have read many of my short stories in my creative writing blog and in my recently published book COCKTAIL which has 27 short stories about relationships.
Dear Reader, let me tell you about my all time favourite short story – The Night Train At Deoli by Ruskin Bond.
The Night Train at Deoli is a beautiful story of unrequited love. Each one of us has experienced this wonderfully painful emotion of unrequited love.
Dear Reader, I am sure you too have experienced the delightful heart-ache of longing, yearning – an alluring attraction for someone who is out of reach – a one way love – a love unreciprocated, a love unrequited.
Well I am quite familiar with the delicate tenderness of unrequited love. In fact, my life story is a story of so many unrequited loves.
The Night Train at Deoli is narrated in first person by a college boy who travels by the night train from Delhi to Dehra Dun every year to spend his summer vacations at his grandmother’s place. On its journey up the hills of the terai, early in the morning, the train stops at Deoli, a lonely station in the wilderness… “Why it stopped at Deoli. I don’t know. Nothing ever happened. Nobody got off the train and nobody got in…and then the bell would sound, the guard would blow his whistle, and presently Deoli would be left behind and forgotten” – isn’t the description brilliant, so breathtaking in its simplicity.
On one such journey the boy sees a girl at Deoli, selling baskets, and is smitten by her… “I sat up awake for the rest of the journey. I could not rid my mind of the picture of the girl’s face and her dark, smouldering eyes”.
He looks out for her on his return journey and is thrilled when he sees her… “I felt an unexpected thrill when I saw her…I sprang off the foot-board and waved to her. When she saw me, she smiled. She was pleased that I remembered her. I was pleased that she remembered me. We were both pleased, and it was almost like a meeting of old friends”…superb writing, isn’t it…simply superb.
It is time for the train to leave, and for the lovers to part… “I felt the impulse to put her on the train there and then…I caught her hand and held it… ‘I have to go to Delhi,’ I said…she nodded, ‘I do not have to go anywhere.’…the guard blew his whistle…and how I hated the guard for doing that…”
Beautifully poignant, marvellously written, the story touches the very fragile chords of your heart.
I will not tell you the rest of this story, but I can assure you, that if you are a lover at heart, you will be touched with compassion for the protagonist and as the story elevates you to the romantic mood you will relate your very own tale of unrequited love.
I am sure you have read this story, but if you haven't it is a must read. The Night Train At Deoli is probably Ruskin Bond's most anthologized story and you will find it in many collections including the one published by Penguin titled The Night Train At Deoli and Other Stories. Though The Night Train At Deoli is my all time favourite, I like many stories in this anthology, especially, The Woman on Platform 8, His Neighbour’s Wife and Death of a Familiar.
If you are a lover of romantic fiction you must read this story - it is sure get you in a blue mood nostalgically yearning for your unrequited love.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this review.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
I am sure you will like all the 27 stories in my recently published book of short stories COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-81910
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-ka
COCKTAIL ebook
If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9
About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
vikramkarve@gmail.com
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
I'm a Ruskin Bond fan too and had gone to meet him once...
ReplyDeleteamitaag.blogspot.com
Hi Vikram, it is one of my favourite short stories too :-) But then I love all of Ruskin's works...his writing has magic...
ReplyDeleteHi Suchi - I too love Ruskin Bond's stories, especially those of unrequited love.
ReplyDelete@ amitaag - That's good. We met him long back while climbing the slopes up Landour in Mussoorie
ReplyDeleteThis blog post is being read by so many readers every day. This just shows the popularity of Ruskin Bond and his sensitive stories of unrequited love, especially THE NIGHT TRAIN AT DEOLI.
ReplyDeleteThank You Dear Readers
Regards
Vikram
I have read "Night train at Deoli" many times. I just wonder how skillfully has Ruskin Bond implemented such mystery and "innocent" romanticism in the story. The description of the station at the intro - "dim light of electric bulbs", visible forest due to "faint light" of "dawn", "tea stall" etc, the description is so simple and yet effective that it brings a vivid picture in mind. The "troubled dark eyes", "shining black hair", "pale skin".....everything just fantastic. Simply "A GENIUS OF SHORT STORES, A GENIUS".
ReplyDeleteI have read "Night train at Deoli" many times. I just wonder how skillfully has Ruskin Bond implemented such mystery and "innocent" romanticism in the story. The description of the station at the intro - "dim light of electric bulbs", visible forest due to "faint light" of "dawn", "tea stall" etc, the description is so simple and yet effective that it brings a vivid picture in mind. The "troubled dark eyes", "shining black hair", "pale skin".....everything just fantastic. Simply "A GENIUS OF SHORT STORES, A GENIUS".
ReplyDeleteI have read "Night train at Deoli" many times. I just wonder how skillfully has Ruskin Bond implemented such mystery and "innocent" romanticism in the story. The description of the station at the intro - "dim light of electric bulbs", visible forest due to "faint light" of "dawn", "tea stall" etc, the description is so simple and yet effective that it brings a vivid picture in mind. The "troubled dark eyes", "shining black hair", "pale skin".....everything just fantastic. Simply "A GENIUS OF SHORT STORES, A GENIUS".
ReplyDeletewonderful story and one of masterpiece of Ruskin Bond's writing style.
ReplyDeletemasterpiece by Ruskin bond
ReplyDeleteYes, KS, Ruskin Bond is a genius the way he depicts emotions
ReplyDeleteVaibhavi - I love his stories especially those of unrequited love
ReplyDeleteyou can read this story in hindi,
ReplyDeletehere,
http://www.bhaskar.com/article/ABH-a-nostalgia-attached-to-the-station-4137437-NOR.html