What do you think?
Rate this book
Time Stops at Shamli and Other Stories
This volume brings together the best of Ruskin Bond's prose and poetry. For over four decades, by way of innumerable novels, essays, short stories and poems, the author has mapped out and peopled a unique literary landscape. This anthology has selections from all of his major books and includes the classic novella Delhi Is Not Far.
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
129 people are currently reading
2194 people want to read
About the author
Ruskin Bond
635 books3,557 followersRuskin Bond is an Indian author of British descent. He is considered to be an icon among Indian writers and children's authors and a top novelist. He wrote his first novel, The Room on the Roof, when he was seventeen which won John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Since then he has written several novellas, over 500 short stories, as well as various essays and poems, all of which have established him as one of the best-loved and most admired chroniclers of contemporary India. In 1992 he received the Sahitya Akademi award for English writing, for his short stories collection, "Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra", by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters in India. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 for contributions to children's literature. He now lives with his adopted family in Landour near Mussoorie.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
April 1, 2019
Some things will never change. For it isn’t time that’s passing by, my friend; it is you and I.
This was a simple and beautiful collection of short stories set in a wide variety of places and revolving around the lives of a variety of different people. The descriptions of the places where the stories were set, both the cities and villages, were lucid and enchanting. The characters and their stories felt unique and real and made me emotional. Some stories were humorous; some were sad and nostalgic while some others invoked happiness.
Some of my favorite stories were The Room of Many Colours; Time Stops at Shamli (Absolutely loved this one; for some reason I always remember the title of the story as Train Stops at Shamli!); The Fight; The Tunnel; Masterji; He Said It with Arsenic; A Crow for All Seasons; A Tiger in the House; Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright…
Totally recommend it.
This was a simple and beautiful collection of short stories set in a wide variety of places and revolving around the lives of a variety of different people. The descriptions of the places where the stories were set, both the cities and villages, were lucid and enchanting. The characters and their stories felt unique and real and made me emotional. Some stories were humorous; some were sad and nostalgic while some others invoked happiness.
Some of my favorite stories were The Room of Many Colours; Time Stops at Shamli (Absolutely loved this one; for some reason I always remember the title of the story as Train Stops at Shamli!); The Fight; The Tunnel; Masterji; He Said It with Arsenic; A Crow for All Seasons; A Tiger in the House; Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright…
Totally recommend it.
January 1, 2018
I have been guilty of judging Ruskin Bond by his short stories, which did not appeal to me very much. However, Time Stops at Shamli, his novella completely changed my outlook upon him. The writing style, the characters, everything has a beautiful aura about it and a reader must read such beautiful stories.
February 7, 2016
There is a tinge of nostalgia in these tales. Ruskin Bond is a writer of simple, beautiful stories shimmering with loss, nostalgia, lived experience, ghosts of the past, altered memories... and the settings he finds for his tales - mountainous landscapes of Northern India - add to the whole experience. I feel that if you take the atmosphere away, there may not be much left to the stories, coz the narrative takes it cue from the backdrop. The unsaid dialogues linger somewhere in the fog-filled hilly roads or the stretch of the jungle around a lonely station where jackals howl at night. In the end these are tales that more often than not have a satisfying close.
I loved how 'Time stops at Shamli' begins. At one point I felt that everyone in the lodge except the narrator were ghosts. Off course, the sudden appearance of his lost lover was too much to digest, but I was happy to suspend my disbelief. Though the writer doesn't mention anywhere, it was not difficult for me to feel that the characters could have been trapped in a ghostly time-loop. I was imagining a film made by Tim Burton about a man who stumbles upon a deserted village and decides to take a look, and there is no reason why a film like that would not haunt its audience.
I loved how 'Time stops at Shamli' begins. At one point I felt that everyone in the lodge except the narrator were ghosts. Off course, the sudden appearance of his lost lover was too much to digest, but I was happy to suspend my disbelief. Though the writer doesn't mention anywhere, it was not difficult for me to feel that the characters could have been trapped in a ghostly time-loop. I was imagining a film made by Tim Burton about a man who stumbles upon a deserted village and decides to take a look, and there is no reason why a film like that would not haunt its audience.
July 25, 2017
3.5
One of the best assorted stories by Bond. The mixed collection includes romance, paranormal, horror, nostalgia, mystery and off course nature.
A couple of stories (Time Stops at Shamli... He Said it with Arsenic) were mind blowing good.
Most of these stories are autobiographical as mentioned in the Intro.
Recommended for a an easy breezy read.
One of the best assorted stories by Bond. The mixed collection includes romance, paranormal, horror, nostalgia, mystery and off course nature.
A couple of stories (Time Stops at Shamli... He Said it with Arsenic) were mind blowing good.
Most of these stories are autobiographical as mentioned in the Intro.
Recommended for a an easy breezy read.
February 12, 2014
Anyone who has lived in Dehradun, India, and hasn't read Ruskin Bond, is missing out on so much that the beautiful Garhwal and Doon Valley have to offer. I got to know my valley intimately --- the tigers and cheetahs, the majestic eucalyptus and banyan trees, the rivers and streams, and the beautiful houses with sprawling orchards. I cherished the descriptions of small cities and villages that sometimes weren't even listed on the map, simply because I couldn't go on an exploratory journey myself.
The people in Bond's stories are so real, maybe because most of his stories are based on fact. These people are so ordinary really --- if you lived in the Doon valley in the 90s, I'm sure you knew some of them. These people live and die in the villages they were born in (unless they ran away from home), play cricket and break windows, eat out in the "dhabas", believe in ghosts, sometimes take pleasure in someone else's misfortune, are victims of unrequited love, lose a job, judge others harshly, struggle to make ends meet, enjoy trysts in the soft rains, and go to the movies to escape it all. They dream big, and are often content not to make their dreams a reality. They always welcome a guest with open arms, even if they abandon him later. They are capable of acts of unexpected cruelty and at the same time, unparalleled generosity. Simply put, they are regular people who do not pretend to be even a little bit more than what they are.
Of all the stories in this collection, "Time Stops at Shamli" makes me sentimental and all... gooey inside. There's nothing sappy about this story --- it's just so real (there's that word again). Oh well, go read Bond's stories, especially if you've been to Dehra and/or the surrounding areas. And if you're walking down the quiet part of the Mall Road in Mussoorie, you might meet Ruskin Bond --- a "pukka sahib", clad in his heavy coat, checked hat, and muffler, reading and climbing the steep slopes at the same time.
The people in Bond's stories are so real, maybe because most of his stories are based on fact. These people are so ordinary really --- if you lived in the Doon valley in the 90s, I'm sure you knew some of them. These people live and die in the villages they were born in (unless they ran away from home), play cricket and break windows, eat out in the "dhabas", believe in ghosts, sometimes take pleasure in someone else's misfortune, are victims of unrequited love, lose a job, judge others harshly, struggle to make ends meet, enjoy trysts in the soft rains, and go to the movies to escape it all. They dream big, and are often content not to make their dreams a reality. They always welcome a guest with open arms, even if they abandon him later. They are capable of acts of unexpected cruelty and at the same time, unparalleled generosity. Simply put, they are regular people who do not pretend to be even a little bit more than what they are.
Of all the stories in this collection, "Time Stops at Shamli" makes me sentimental and all... gooey inside. There's nothing sappy about this story --- it's just so real (there's that word again). Oh well, go read Bond's stories, especially if you've been to Dehra and/or the surrounding areas. And if you're walking down the quiet part of the Mall Road in Mussoorie, you might meet Ruskin Bond --- a "pukka sahib", clad in his heavy coat, checked hat, and muffler, reading and climbing the steep slopes at the same time.
February 7, 2017
A book very light hearted. Enjoyable if you do not seek heavy intellectual enrichment but does open your mind to the importance of "insignificant" things in life.
Meant for children from ages 12-15.(in my opinion)
Meant for children from ages 12-15.(in my opinion)
August 3, 2017
One more Ruskin Bond collection with most of the stories making me falling in love with them. A few were average and one or two plain boring. Time Stops at Shamli the title story is the jewel in the crown. Next best comes Most Beautiful and He said it with Arsenic. Now an ardent admirer of Bond.. Our Trees grow in Dehra is beckoning me now but after a break so that I can savour the stories more..
December 10, 2025
With Ruskin Bond. The Man who gave me so much,,,,
This is one of Bond’s most evocative story collections—a blend of romance, melancholy, nostalgia, and timeless human drama.
Written during the early years of his career, these stories show Bond at his most lyrical and introspective. They take the reader into the small towns and forgotten railway halts of northern India, where fleeting encounters often leave lifelong emotional imprints.
The title story, “Time Stops at Shamli,” is a hauntingly beautiful tale of love and longing. It follows the narrator’s visit to the quiet town of Shamli, where he becomes entangled in an emotionally charged encounter with a married woman.
Bond captures the tension of unspoken desires with remarkable subtlety. Nothing is forced, nothing melodramatic; the emotions simmer quietly beneath the surface, creating a mood that lingers long after the story ends.
Many of the other stories in the collection explore similar themes of longing, impermanence, and introspection. In “The Tiger in the Tunnel,” for example, Bond creates one of his most memorable characters—Baldev, the watchman who sacrifices himself to protect his son.
The story’s emotional impact lies not in dramatic flair but in the dignified simplicity with which Bond tells it.
The father-son relationship becomes a symbol of courage and duty, rendered with heartbreaking restraint.
Another standout story is “A Face in the Dark,” a ghost tale that is as chilling as it is compact. Bond’s supernatural stories always rely on atmosphere rather than violence, and here he excels.
The eerie setting—the pine forest, the flickering lantern, the faceless boy—creates a sense of dread that is refined rather than sensational. Bond proves that true horror lies in suggestion, not spectacle.
The collection also includes stories that highlight the innocence and charm of childhood. “The Kitemaker” is a beautiful elegy to changing times, where the once-thriving craft of kite-making fades into nostalgia.
Bond uses the story to comment on modernity’s effect on traditional occupations, but with tenderness rather than critique.
One of the strengths of this collection is Bond’s emotional honesty. Whether he writes about love, fear, loss, or hope, he does so with a gentle clarity that makes even the simplest narratives profound.
His characters—lonely travellers, curious children, weary workers, compassionate wanderers—carry the emotional weight of real lives.
The setting is another unifying force. Bond’s landscape is the dusty plains and lush hills of North India—railway stations, dak bungalows, mango orchards, roadside dhabas.
These spaces become characters in themselves, shaping the mood of each story. Bond’s ability to evoke atmosphere makes readers feel as though they are standing with him at a quiet railway halt where time, indeed, seems to stop.
Although the themes of melancholy run strong, the book is far from depressing. Bond always leaves a window open for hope.
His characters may feel trapped, lonely, or uncertain, but they also discover courage, love, and unexpected companionship.
Time Stops at Shamli and Other Stories is not just a collection; it is an emotional map of Bond’s inner world—a world of beauty, transience, and deep human connection.
It remains one of his most celebrated works for its lyricism, emotional clarity, and memorable characters.
Most recommended.
This is one of Bond’s most evocative story collections—a blend of romance, melancholy, nostalgia, and timeless human drama.
Written during the early years of his career, these stories show Bond at his most lyrical and introspective. They take the reader into the small towns and forgotten railway halts of northern India, where fleeting encounters often leave lifelong emotional imprints.
The title story, “Time Stops at Shamli,” is a hauntingly beautiful tale of love and longing. It follows the narrator’s visit to the quiet town of Shamli, where he becomes entangled in an emotionally charged encounter with a married woman.
Bond captures the tension of unspoken desires with remarkable subtlety. Nothing is forced, nothing melodramatic; the emotions simmer quietly beneath the surface, creating a mood that lingers long after the story ends.
Many of the other stories in the collection explore similar themes of longing, impermanence, and introspection. In “The Tiger in the Tunnel,” for example, Bond creates one of his most memorable characters—Baldev, the watchman who sacrifices himself to protect his son.
The story’s emotional impact lies not in dramatic flair but in the dignified simplicity with which Bond tells it.
The father-son relationship becomes a symbol of courage and duty, rendered with heartbreaking restraint.
Another standout story is “A Face in the Dark,” a ghost tale that is as chilling as it is compact. Bond’s supernatural stories always rely on atmosphere rather than violence, and here he excels.
The eerie setting—the pine forest, the flickering lantern, the faceless boy—creates a sense of dread that is refined rather than sensational. Bond proves that true horror lies in suggestion, not spectacle.
The collection also includes stories that highlight the innocence and charm of childhood. “The Kitemaker” is a beautiful elegy to changing times, where the once-thriving craft of kite-making fades into nostalgia.
Bond uses the story to comment on modernity’s effect on traditional occupations, but with tenderness rather than critique.
One of the strengths of this collection is Bond’s emotional honesty. Whether he writes about love, fear, loss, or hope, he does so with a gentle clarity that makes even the simplest narratives profound.
His characters—lonely travellers, curious children, weary workers, compassionate wanderers—carry the emotional weight of real lives.
The setting is another unifying force. Bond’s landscape is the dusty plains and lush hills of North India—railway stations, dak bungalows, mango orchards, roadside dhabas.
These spaces become characters in themselves, shaping the mood of each story. Bond’s ability to evoke atmosphere makes readers feel as though they are standing with him at a quiet railway halt where time, indeed, seems to stop.
Although the themes of melancholy run strong, the book is far from depressing. Bond always leaves a window open for hope.
His characters may feel trapped, lonely, or uncertain, but they also discover courage, love, and unexpected companionship.
Time Stops at Shamli and Other Stories is not just a collection; it is an emotional map of Bond’s inner world—a world of beauty, transience, and deep human connection.
It remains one of his most celebrated works for its lyricism, emotional clarity, and memorable characters.
Most recommended.
December 31, 2017
Loved the stories in the collection:
Funeral 3.5/5
The room of many colours 3.5/5
Time stops at shamli 4.5/5
Most Beautiful 3.5/5
The last truck ride 3/5
The fight 5/5
The tunnel 3/5
The Summer season 3/5
Going Home 3/5
Masterji 3/5
Listen to the wind 3.5/5
The Haunted Bicycle 4/5
Dead Man's gift 3.5/5
Whispering in the Dark 3/5
He said it with Arsenic 4/5
The most potent medicine of all 3/5
Hanging at the mango tope 3/5
Eyes of the cat 5/5
A crow for all seasons 3/5
A tiger in the house 3.5/5
Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright 4.5/5
I have written about the stories in my blog. You can read more about them by clicking the following link:
Time Stops at Shamli
Funeral 3.5/5
The room of many colours 3.5/5
Time stops at shamli 4.5/5
Most Beautiful 3.5/5
The last truck ride 3/5
The fight 5/5
The tunnel 3/5
The Summer season 3/5
Going Home 3/5
Masterji 3/5
Listen to the wind 3.5/5
The Haunted Bicycle 4/5
Dead Man's gift 3.5/5
Whispering in the Dark 3/5
He said it with Arsenic 4/5
The most potent medicine of all 3/5
Hanging at the mango tope 3/5
Eyes of the cat 5/5
A crow for all seasons 3/5
A tiger in the house 3.5/5
Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright 4.5/5
I have written about the stories in my blog. You can read more about them by clicking the following link:
Time Stops at Shamli
January 26, 2021
"The mist has crept up the Valley and settled like a damp towel on the face of the mountain."
TIME STOPS AT SHAMLI & OTHER STORIES written by Ruskin Bond is a book which describes about Indian and it's people through the eyes of Ruskin bond. This book contains many short stories which is set in the villages, bazaars, mountains etc of India, stories of curious or helpless boys, men who doesn't want to know what is outside his village, about women who marry without no love for the spouse, stories of farmers and cooks and hotel owners.
Each story has nothing in common except the beauty of India and Bond himself. Each person has a story to tell. A good book to read if you are into olden days, how people lived then, how some people are still the same is what I felt while I read it. There is still poverty, there is still helplessness and there is still India🇮🇳 HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY🕊️
#ruskinbond #timestopsatshamli #book #stories #india #people #review
TIME STOPS AT SHAMLI & OTHER STORIES written by Ruskin Bond is a book which describes about Indian and it's people through the eyes of Ruskin bond. This book contains many short stories which is set in the villages, bazaars, mountains etc of India, stories of curious or helpless boys, men who doesn't want to know what is outside his village, about women who marry without no love for the spouse, stories of farmers and cooks and hotel owners.
Each story has nothing in common except the beauty of India and Bond himself. Each person has a story to tell. A good book to read if you are into olden days, how people lived then, how some people are still the same is what I felt while I read it. There is still poverty, there is still helplessness and there is still India🇮🇳 HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY🕊️
#ruskinbond #timestopsatshamli #book #stories #india #people #review
July 10, 2021
It's always so soothing to read Bond ! ♥️
February 25, 2024
The tiger is the very soul of India, and when the last tiger has gone, so will the soul of the country.
And the roar came back to him, calling him, calling him forward—a roar that meant there would be more tigers in the land
And the roar came back to him, calling him, calling him forward—a roar that meant there would be more tigers in the land
July 26, 2014
Foremost; Shamli is my mother's hometown.
There is a tinge of nostalgia in these tales.
Anyone who has lived in India, and hasn't read Ruskin Bond, is missing out on so much! Ruskin Bond is a writer of simple, beautiful stories shimmering with loss, lived experience, ghosts of the past, altered memories...
There is a tinge of nostalgia in these tales.
Anyone who has lived in India, and hasn't read Ruskin Bond, is missing out on so much! Ruskin Bond is a writer of simple, beautiful stories shimmering with loss, lived experience, ghosts of the past, altered memories...
June 10, 2021
Although I have read few of stories in it already, before in The Coral Tree, it still seemed fun to read. My most favorite was of course Time Stops At Shamli. I adore that story, Ruskin Bond always make a good setting of the story with rain, forests and wind. The story was somehow like that of Pyjamas Are Forgiving, the way the protagonist meets his lost beloved in the only confined hotel of small town of Shamli. Slowly the familiarity with characters is gained and play vibrates with love, longing, nostalgia, rain and all. So much emotion was crafted to it. There were couple of other stories too which some if it were horror. I liked the vibe Ruskin Bond wands in his stories, too surreal and yet heartily connected.
August 30, 2020
The book comprises of many short stories and bunch of novellas. IMO the short stories were a bit dry and my attention would often falter. But the novellas more than made up for that. The name of the book is taken from one of the novellas and that novella was just OMG AMAZING. It will make you feel amazing feelings like sweet nostalgia, lust, passion, desire, pity, melancholy, and many others. You will be transported to that world and just like the person in the story you would not want to leave that world but you know that you have to. Just read the novel for that one story.
November 18, 2020
One of my favourite Short stories are here!💕
September 7, 2020
Time Stops At Shamli by Ruskin Bond is a collection of 21 short stories. Each story different, each story refreshigly nostalgic and each story that stirs your heart and gives you something to think about in just about 4-5 pages.
I've been wondering how do I review this book. A book that has been read and liked and already reviewed by many. What could I write that others have not written? After much thought, I felt I'll just pen down what it feels like to read a book by Ruskin Bond for the first time. And Time Stops At Shamli for that one.
Ruskin Bond's writing transports you to a different place. Sometimes you are walking up the stairs with a red rose to meet a queen, sometimes you are sitting next to a truck driver manoeuvring a sharp turn on a hilly road, sometimes you are riding in a Tonga unaware you'll be meeting a lost love or swinging and dancing in a place with just one station, sometimes you are looking at the most beautiful person who is looked down by others, sometimes you are making friends in the most unfavorable conditions, sometimes you even see a leopard in the dark of the tunnel and are sure will look for that one lamp on the passing station while traveling by train, sometimes you are on the mission to find your lost money and clapping in joy when you find them only to realise you've lost them again, sometimes you are meeting an old teacher after decades and realise he never taught you the subject you thought he taught, sometimes you are riding a bicycle with 2 kids who give you shivers, sometimes you are looking in the mirror and can see a reflection of a girl behind you in broad daylight, sometimes you are skeptical about drinking even a glass of water given by your husband, sometimes you are taking a tiger on a walk and sometimes you are so lost in the stories that you forget you don't stay in mountains but along a coast and there are no cool winds outside but you have to switch on your fan, you forget that no matter how cozy the book makes you feel you have to keep the hot cup of tea aside and get back to work.
I've been wondering how do I review this book. A book that has been read and liked and already reviewed by many. What could I write that others have not written? After much thought, I felt I'll just pen down what it feels like to read a book by Ruskin Bond for the first time. And Time Stops At Shamli for that one.
Ruskin Bond's writing transports you to a different place. Sometimes you are walking up the stairs with a red rose to meet a queen, sometimes you are sitting next to a truck driver manoeuvring a sharp turn on a hilly road, sometimes you are riding in a Tonga unaware you'll be meeting a lost love or swinging and dancing in a place with just one station, sometimes you are looking at the most beautiful person who is looked down by others, sometimes you are making friends in the most unfavorable conditions, sometimes you even see a leopard in the dark of the tunnel and are sure will look for that one lamp on the passing station while traveling by train, sometimes you are on the mission to find your lost money and clapping in joy when you find them only to realise you've lost them again, sometimes you are meeting an old teacher after decades and realise he never taught you the subject you thought he taught, sometimes you are riding a bicycle with 2 kids who give you shivers, sometimes you are looking in the mirror and can see a reflection of a girl behind you in broad daylight, sometimes you are skeptical about drinking even a glass of water given by your husband, sometimes you are taking a tiger on a walk and sometimes you are so lost in the stories that you forget you don't stay in mountains but along a coast and there are no cool winds outside but you have to switch on your fan, you forget that no matter how cozy the book makes you feel you have to keep the hot cup of tea aside and get back to work.
May 13, 2009
beautifully written short stories with vibrant characters with whom I became friends. A good snapshot of small-town India.
May 20, 2020
Pretty decent writing about the kind of lives people have, in and around the author's hometown. Drunk off nostalgic reminiscences. Ruskin's a Magician.
March 11, 2025
This was my first brush with Ruskin Bond's works, although since I was a child, I've been hearing about him and his stories about the towns and hill stations at the Himalayan foothills. I've always wanted to read his works but somehow it got put off till recently, when I picked up an old copy of 'Time stops at Shamli and other stories' on my bookshelf. It was worth it.
A slim 180-page read, the book features 21 little tales - delightful, simple stories of the loves and lives of people in India's small rustic villages and towns. I wasn't particularly taken with the first story, The Funeral, but the second story - The Room of Many Colours immediately caught my attention and catapulted me into the book with much of the gusto that the first story had cost me. Some of the stories are written in the first person, others in the third, but they are evidently mostly all autobiographical, heavily drawing from Bond's own experiences as a writer, traveller, observer of human stories, and lover of the natural world. His long time love affair with India is well known and it shines bright in this little collection. The title story came in third, but it almost felt like opening with it might have been a better choice. At 32 pages, it's the longest story in the book, with several others short enough to be called flash fiction. Beautifully rendered, the title story is narrated by the author and describes his short stop at the quaint and sleepy town of Shamli where trees and meadows abound, and people are scarce. It reflected themes of societal norms that drive wedges between some people bringing others together, the choices we make, and the innocence and sweetness of childhood. Of the stories that followed, it would be hard to pick a favourite - some were endowed with beauty of spirit, youth, natural spendour, devotion, longing for home and hiraeth, others full of unabashed humour, and other still replete with ghosts and the supernatural. But the one common thread is they all had heart. And LOTS of it.
Of course, if I had to pick a favourite, it would unequivocally be the last story in the book - Tiger Tiger, burning bright.
"The king of our forest is dead," said Shyam. "There are no more tigers."
"There must be tigers," said Ramu. "How can there be an India without tigers?"
The story revolves around a forested area lined by a nomadic human settlement called the Gujars who raise buffaloes for milk and butter. The forest has been heavily cleared and exploited a few years ago to settle refugees and ever since, most of the resident animals have fled, the most significant loss being that of the erstwhile tiger population. Now only one lone tiger roams the forest, devoid of his mate and increasingly scarce prey. The story is about this one tiger and the Gujars - it is one of majesty, awe and fear when co-habiting wild spaces with wild animals, it is deeply telling of man-animal conflicts, which have only grown in frequency and magnitude since Ruskin Bond travelled and wrote about the people, forests, and animals of India. The story has dramatic turns and for a few pages I held my breath, but at the risk of inadvertently posting a spoiler, I can only say that the end was a wholesome one.
For some time now, I have had a kind of existential crisis, wondering debating, questioning - what is the role of art in society? How does it help humankind improve, become better at being human? Does it serve a larger purpose or is it merely entertainment? Does it add anything at all to what we call being human? I finally found my answer after reading Tiger Tiger Burning Bright. Because once I read it, I immediately began reading about the tiger populations of India, the conservation history, the challenges, the positive outcomes, and so on. I was motivated to educate myself about something that I feel so deeply for and yet had not been able to take a moment to find out more about. It animated me, made me think. That is the true power of art - in any form. Art brings joy, brings calm and peace, jogs the grey cells, entertains, and not the least, it has a kinetic power to bring about change. In my mind that is its greatest power - the ability to birth hope in a world where hope is drawn and quartered every moment, sunk to unretrievable depths or crushed to dust. Art is undeniably important therefore. Vital even. There is no question of futility, only beauty and value, even when art is done solely for the purpose of art itself.
If you're looking for a simple, beautiful rendition of the stories of the people, animals and wild places of beloved India, then just pick up a copy of this book, or from what I've read of him, any of Ruskin Bond's other works. He's a fabulous writer who wrote honestly, from a place of deep love for India and her varied colours. I certainly recommend this book, even as I now look forward to reading his other works.
A slim 180-page read, the book features 21 little tales - delightful, simple stories of the loves and lives of people in India's small rustic villages and towns. I wasn't particularly taken with the first story, The Funeral, but the second story - The Room of Many Colours immediately caught my attention and catapulted me into the book with much of the gusto that the first story had cost me. Some of the stories are written in the first person, others in the third, but they are evidently mostly all autobiographical, heavily drawing from Bond's own experiences as a writer, traveller, observer of human stories, and lover of the natural world. His long time love affair with India is well known and it shines bright in this little collection. The title story came in third, but it almost felt like opening with it might have been a better choice. At 32 pages, it's the longest story in the book, with several others short enough to be called flash fiction. Beautifully rendered, the title story is narrated by the author and describes his short stop at the quaint and sleepy town of Shamli where trees and meadows abound, and people are scarce. It reflected themes of societal norms that drive wedges between some people bringing others together, the choices we make, and the innocence and sweetness of childhood. Of the stories that followed, it would be hard to pick a favourite - some were endowed with beauty of spirit, youth, natural spendour, devotion, longing for home and hiraeth, others full of unabashed humour, and other still replete with ghosts and the supernatural. But the one common thread is they all had heart. And LOTS of it.
Of course, if I had to pick a favourite, it would unequivocally be the last story in the book - Tiger Tiger, burning bright.
"The king of our forest is dead," said Shyam. "There are no more tigers."
"There must be tigers," said Ramu. "How can there be an India without tigers?"
The story revolves around a forested area lined by a nomadic human settlement called the Gujars who raise buffaloes for milk and butter. The forest has been heavily cleared and exploited a few years ago to settle refugees and ever since, most of the resident animals have fled, the most significant loss being that of the erstwhile tiger population. Now only one lone tiger roams the forest, devoid of his mate and increasingly scarce prey. The story is about this one tiger and the Gujars - it is one of majesty, awe and fear when co-habiting wild spaces with wild animals, it is deeply telling of man-animal conflicts, which have only grown in frequency and magnitude since Ruskin Bond travelled and wrote about the people, forests, and animals of India. The story has dramatic turns and for a few pages I held my breath, but at the risk of inadvertently posting a spoiler, I can only say that the end was a wholesome one.
For some time now, I have had a kind of existential crisis, wondering debating, questioning - what is the role of art in society? How does it help humankind improve, become better at being human? Does it serve a larger purpose or is it merely entertainment? Does it add anything at all to what we call being human? I finally found my answer after reading Tiger Tiger Burning Bright. Because once I read it, I immediately began reading about the tiger populations of India, the conservation history, the challenges, the positive outcomes, and so on. I was motivated to educate myself about something that I feel so deeply for and yet had not been able to take a moment to find out more about. It animated me, made me think. That is the true power of art - in any form. Art brings joy, brings calm and peace, jogs the grey cells, entertains, and not the least, it has a kinetic power to bring about change. In my mind that is its greatest power - the ability to birth hope in a world where hope is drawn and quartered every moment, sunk to unretrievable depths or crushed to dust. Art is undeniably important therefore. Vital even. There is no question of futility, only beauty and value, even when art is done solely for the purpose of art itself.
If you're looking for a simple, beautiful rendition of the stories of the people, animals and wild places of beloved India, then just pick up a copy of this book, or from what I've read of him, any of Ruskin Bond's other works. He's a fabulous writer who wrote honestly, from a place of deep love for India and her varied colours. I certainly recommend this book, even as I now look forward to reading his other works.
June 1, 2021
‘The skin cannot change the eyes; the eyes are the true reflection of a man’s age and sensibilities; even a blind man has hidden eyes.’
Time stops at Shamli and other stories is a collection of 21 short stories, written by Ruskin Bond depicting about the timelessness of the small town and its people.
He wrote in the light of his own experiences and the impressions he found about things and people he came across, are reflected in his works. He takes up serious themes for his stories but they are not dull, because he makes them interesting to attract the common reader like in the story Most beautiful, he takes care of a deformed child and gives him so much love that builds a beautiful friendship of them two. Only love and compassion for different sects of society will help in the long survival of world. We the world are one big family and it is up to us how we need to live in this family.
He is known as a children writer but he has written a variety of works in different genres of literature. Stories such as of love and romance, Ghost stories, funny and comic, some thrilling takes all forms a part this book.
The title story i.e., Time stops at Shamli is set in a small town Shamli, similar to Deoli but the author spends a day or a two here on at this place and tries to make sense as to what is all happening.
The story starts with mystery and adventure when Bond reaches this place through a train and finds only one waiting room, some stray dogs and a bench on that train station. When he decides to explore and stay a night at Shamli, he steps into the deserted vibes of the town, the strange care taker Daya Ram, his encounters with a lovely young girl named Kiran, then Mr. Lin and then a fiery showdown with his long-lost love, Sushila.
Through Sushila, Ruskin Bond highlights the harsh truth about married life. It is not love but restraints imposed by society. We find hints in the story that the town is disappearing gradually, maybe it’s all a dream that Bond is living in the night train or maybe the dysfunctional characters were as real as him. One should not try to make a sense of it as it is the moments that matter, not the destination.
Set in the autumn hills, whispering breezes all along, this tale of loveliness will take you places and you will always yearn to return to Shamli in your lifetime to find your true self. In the end, we are all ships that pass in the night.
One tale that I especially liked was The most potent medicine of All which is a tale of love and sacrifice. That short story completely blew me away by love as the greatest healer of history.
Ruskin Bond's stories are an outcome of his, own experiences and therefore he represents his age. The room of many colours, The funeral represents his childhood.
Also light hearted tales which will breathe an air of freshness in all of you are also included such as Hanging at the Mango tope, Going Home, Masterji, Dead Man’s gift and He said it with Arsenic. All of these tales are served with Bond’s wit and humor and his excellent capability of ending a story well.
His stories of the middle period reflect his wide experience of life related to the middle- class people. He also discusses social problems and offers solutions related to them. His later stories are more mature and perfect. He adorns his stories With Symbols and Images borrowed from The World of Nature. Enjoy his work because through this he will achieve what he has set out to achieve.
Time stops at Shamli and other stories is a collection of 21 short stories, written by Ruskin Bond depicting about the timelessness of the small town and its people.
He wrote in the light of his own experiences and the impressions he found about things and people he came across, are reflected in his works. He takes up serious themes for his stories but they are not dull, because he makes them interesting to attract the common reader like in the story Most beautiful, he takes care of a deformed child and gives him so much love that builds a beautiful friendship of them two. Only love and compassion for different sects of society will help in the long survival of world. We the world are one big family and it is up to us how we need to live in this family.
He is known as a children writer but he has written a variety of works in different genres of literature. Stories such as of love and romance, Ghost stories, funny and comic, some thrilling takes all forms a part this book.
The title story i.e., Time stops at Shamli is set in a small town Shamli, similar to Deoli but the author spends a day or a two here on at this place and tries to make sense as to what is all happening.
The story starts with mystery and adventure when Bond reaches this place through a train and finds only one waiting room, some stray dogs and a bench on that train station. When he decides to explore and stay a night at Shamli, he steps into the deserted vibes of the town, the strange care taker Daya Ram, his encounters with a lovely young girl named Kiran, then Mr. Lin and then a fiery showdown with his long-lost love, Sushila.
Through Sushila, Ruskin Bond highlights the harsh truth about married life. It is not love but restraints imposed by society. We find hints in the story that the town is disappearing gradually, maybe it’s all a dream that Bond is living in the night train or maybe the dysfunctional characters were as real as him. One should not try to make a sense of it as it is the moments that matter, not the destination.
Set in the autumn hills, whispering breezes all along, this tale of loveliness will take you places and you will always yearn to return to Shamli in your lifetime to find your true self. In the end, we are all ships that pass in the night.
One tale that I especially liked was The most potent medicine of All which is a tale of love and sacrifice. That short story completely blew me away by love as the greatest healer of history.
Ruskin Bond's stories are an outcome of his, own experiences and therefore he represents his age. The room of many colours, The funeral represents his childhood.
Also light hearted tales which will breathe an air of freshness in all of you are also included such as Hanging at the Mango tope, Going Home, Masterji, Dead Man’s gift and He said it with Arsenic. All of these tales are served with Bond’s wit and humor and his excellent capability of ending a story well.
His stories of the middle period reflect his wide experience of life related to the middle- class people. He also discusses social problems and offers solutions related to them. His later stories are more mature and perfect. He adorns his stories With Symbols and Images borrowed from The World of Nature. Enjoy his work because through this he will achieve what he has set out to achieve.
May 18, 2023
It’s Day-6 of #ruskinbondbirthdaywithsaranya
#188
Book 29 of 2023-
Author- Ruskin Bond
“Life,for him,was not a matter of one year succeeding another,but of five seasons-winter,spring,hot weather,monsoon and autumn-arriving and departing.”
This book is a collection of 21 short stories written by Ruskin Bond during various points of his life. As always,it revolves around his real life,some fictional elements. His favourite topics are also included in this book as well-ghosts,hills,birds,bicycle and hills!
If you have never read Ruskin Bond,this will give you an idea of what kind of story teller he is! It has all his elements and all his flavours of writing. I’ve read every stories written in this book already in the other books I read. Yet I loved re-reading all of it again! That’s my favourite thing to do! Reading and re-reading his stories bring nothing but happiness and joy!
What can I say about this book!? This is yet another beautiful collection of his short stories and it proves once again why he is the most celebrated story teller of India🦋
#ruskinbond #ruskinbondbooks #ruskinbondbirthdayweek #ruskinbondbirthday
#188
Book 29 of 2023-
Author- Ruskin Bond
“Life,for him,was not a matter of one year succeeding another,but of five seasons-winter,spring,hot weather,monsoon and autumn-arriving and departing.”
This book is a collection of 21 short stories written by Ruskin Bond during various points of his life. As always,it revolves around his real life,some fictional elements. His favourite topics are also included in this book as well-ghosts,hills,birds,bicycle and hills!
If you have never read Ruskin Bond,this will give you an idea of what kind of story teller he is! It has all his elements and all his flavours of writing. I’ve read every stories written in this book already in the other books I read. Yet I loved re-reading all of it again! That’s my favourite thing to do! Reading and re-reading his stories bring nothing but happiness and joy!
What can I say about this book!? This is yet another beautiful collection of his short stories and it proves once again why he is the most celebrated story teller of India🦋
#ruskinbond #ruskinbondbooks #ruskinbondbirthdayweek #ruskinbondbirthday
July 2, 2017
A few more gems from the beloved Ruskin Bond...
My favourite story in this collection is Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright.
Before I read this story if anybody asked me to summarize Ruskin Bond's works I would say that the author writes very insightful stories about different human characters and nature.
However in this story, the author drives home a very important point that man is a part and parcel of nature, and not a counterpart of nature.
The story toggles seamlessly between a tiger and the village people. Though a third person narrative, it very well captures the thoughts and circumstances of both tiger and man.
Other few well written stories- Times stops at Shamli, A tiger in the house, The tunnel, Most Beautiful...
My favourite story in this collection is Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright.
Before I read this story if anybody asked me to summarize Ruskin Bond's works I would say that the author writes very insightful stories about different human characters and nature.
However in this story, the author drives home a very important point that man is a part and parcel of nature, and not a counterpart of nature.
The story toggles seamlessly between a tiger and the village people. Though a third person narrative, it very well captures the thoughts and circumstances of both tiger and man.
Other few well written stories- Times stops at Shamli, A tiger in the house, The tunnel, Most Beautiful...
July 26, 2023
I used to get blank when I was asked " which book would you take with you on a deserted island?" but now I guess I know the answer,would obviously take one of Ruskin Bond's creations. All the stories are great but the last one "Tiger,Tiger,burning bright " won over me! Definitely a five star from my side.
November 15, 2018
Amazing collection of stories..
September 30, 2020
Soulful and beautiful stories with a tinge of nostalgia.
June 26, 2021
This one comes a breath of fresh mountain air as someone meets his love after a long exile only to witness how much she has changed and how much she still loved him. The 'Time stops' not only in Shamli but also at every page for the readers who witness a surge of emotions within them- of love, passion, togetherness and bond. The deepest woes give you the best feelings for it's the only reason the saddest tales are closest to the hearts.
♥️♥️
♥️♥️
December 8, 2020
This is one of the best short story collection from Ruskin Bons. Most of the stories are set in the background of hilly regions in India having train passage.
July 5, 2025
I enjoyed reading this book, my favourite stories were "Dead Man's Gift" and "Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright". I loved the narration in this book, each story keeps you tethered to it till the end, even the short ones.
Every simple noun had a perfect Adjective to explain its context! ❤️
Every simple noun had a perfect Adjective to explain its context! ❤️
May 12, 2017
It's getting tougher to write reviews about Ruskin Bond's. Seriously, What am I supposed to say. His books are all alike, yet different, and I can identify his writing style just like one can identify a close one's voice. His stories are like Granny's stories- They may be sad or happy, long or short, (or sometimes baseless too!) but they are almost ALWAYS enjoyable. You don't get bored except in rare situations. Time stops at Shamli has this unique flavor of supernaturality in the characters which makes it really wonderful. The story 'The room of many colors' gets a little slow but every other story from The funeral to Tiger, Tiger, burning bright is marvelous.
Whenever you read Ruskin Bond, you take a whiff in the life of the hills and truly want to stay there for the rest of your life, you want to leave all these 'luxuries' and enjoy the freedom of the hilly villages. You want to walk or cycle around the clean roads surrounded by trees and smell the first flowers of spring, you want to take a tour to the woods where, for once, their is no stress or anxiety.
Whenever you read Ruskin Bond, you take a whiff in the life of the hills and truly want to stay there for the rest of your life, you want to leave all these 'luxuries' and enjoy the freedom of the hilly villages. You want to walk or cycle around the clean roads surrounded by trees and smell the first flowers of spring, you want to take a tour to the woods where, for once, their is no stress or anxiety.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews