They say childhood is the purest phase of life, but how many of us actually remember that purity? As once pointed out by Nissim Ezekiel in his poem, “Double Horror”, the world corrupts us as we grow up into adults, and we, the byproduct of that corruption corrupt the world back a bit more every day. Thus, as adults, it’s hard to remain pure and genuine in a world hell-bent on corrupting you. It’s for the sake of the world and mostly for our salvation that children continue to remind us constantly of the contentment that follows kindness and Genuity. The tale of “The Blue Umbrella” by Ruskin Bond reminds us of just that and much more.
The Blue Umbrella: A Glimpse
Set in the scenic hills of Garhwal village in Himachal Pradesh, “The Blue Umbrella” tells the tale of Binya (Binyadevi) and her precious blue umbrella. It starts off with Binya enjoying her day as usual. Wandering inside the thick forest Binya finds herself to be most at home in the lap of mother nature. Searching for her cow Neelu, Binya stumbles upon a group of city-dwellers who were there to picnic. Though the city-dwellers brought with them a hoard of things, the one that caught Binya’s eyes was the blue umbrella.
After a small yet mutually beneficial trade, Binya became the proud owner of the most beautiful umbrella in the village. The delicate and beautiful blue umbrella was the envy of every eye. The adult chose to think of all the ways the blue umbrella lacked to help them cope with their envy. While the children chose to speak out their true feelings, which is pure admiration for the beautiful umbrella. Instead of hoping to take the blue umbrella away forever and steal Binya’s joy, all the children wished for was a few moments of joy which came from holding the umbrella after showering Binya with compliments. This brings into light how children though children by age acted more like adults than actual adults.
The Blue Umbrella: How Grown Up Are Grown Ups?
The main turning point in the story comes with Ram Bharosa’s envy of the blue umbrella. The proud tea shop owner of the village tried really hard to get his hands on it. From trying to bribe Binya and his Brother with toffees to bribing them with money, nothing worked. And as he grew desperate he finally gave in to his foolish desires and resorted to stealing.
Fortunately, his attempt at getting his hands on the blue umbrella failed. But the fact that he actually acted on his morally wrong thoughts made him an outcast in his own village. Surprisingly, it was the one person he tried to steal from who actually empathised with him the most. Binya felt sorrow rather than anger towards Ram Bharosa as she felt somewhere it was her fault for making a grown man act in such a way.
After a lot of thought Binya left him her precious blue umbrella without asking for anything in return. Understanding that he probably needs it more than she needs it, Binya ended up acting like an adult while being a child. Her act made him realise what really is important which in turn made him do something for Binya as a thank you for reminding him what really matters.
Afterword
Though categorised as a children’s book, the book is actually a delightful treat with a wisdom pill hidden in the centre for everyone. It’s a book that highlights the reality of the world, which is age doesn’t always guarantee wisdom. Bringing to life the saying, “a simple act of kindness creates an endless ripple”, this simple tale narrates how one child’s empathy made a grown man realise the true meaning of life. In today’s materialistic world which starts and ends with an endless chase after the shiny new thing, take a step back and sit and read this short story and let Binya remind you what truly matters in life.
