The Night Train at Deoli

About the Author

Ruskin Bond was born on 19 May 1934 at Kasauli, Punjabi State Agency, British India. His parents were Aubrey Alexander Bond and Edith Clarke. The present story “The Night Train at Deoli” is taken from one of his collections and was published in 1988. He is considered an icon among Indian writers and children’s authors. He wrote his first novel “The Room on the Roof”, which won the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Ruskin Bond has authored more than 500 short stories, essays, and novels, including 69 books for children. His first book for children “Angry River” was published in 1972. In 1992, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for “Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra.” In 1999, he was awarded the Padma Shri, and in 2014, the Padma Bhushan.

Q&A (1–9)

Q1. What kind of place was Deoli Station, and why did the narrator find it lonely?

Ans: Deoli Station is described as a small, remote, and quiet railway station surrounded by hills and forests. It is not a busy place but rather isolated and peaceful. The narrator found Deoli Station lonely because it was far from urban areas, and there were very few people around. The station was often empty, and the stillness of the place gave a sense of solitude. The sparse human presence and the natural surroundings added to the feeling of loneliness that the narrator experienced while waiting.

Q2. When the narrator first saw the basket-selling girl, what attracted him to her?

Ans: When the narrator first saw the basket-selling girl, he was immediately struck by her appearance and demeanor. She seemed young, perhaps around twelve years old, and was dressed in simple, worn clothes that reflected her humble background. Despite her poverty, there was a sense of dignity in the way she carried herself. Her eyes were bright and expressive, revealing both innocence and determination. The narrator noticed her graceful movements as she balanced the basket on her head, and her face showed a mixture of hope and resilience. His first impression was of a hardworking, earnest girl who faced challenges with quiet strength.

Q3. What made the narrator buy a basket even though he did not want one?**

Ans: The narrator bought a basket from the girl at the Deoli Station even though he did not really want one because he was deeply attracted to her. He felt a sudden emotional connection and was fascinated by her beauty and simplicity. Buying the basket became his way of starting a conversation and showing interest in her. It was not the basket he wanted but the chance to interact with the girl that made him buy it.

Q4. How did the girl react when she saw the narrator again during his return journey?

Ans: When the girl saw the narrator again during his return journey, she looked at him with a mixture of surprise and embarrassment. She seemed even more shy and startled upon seeing him and avoided direct eye contact

Q5. Briefly narrate the conversation between the narrator and the girl in their second meeting.

Ans: The Night Train at Deoli is a story about the narrator’s love for a poor basket-seller whom he met at a small station while on his way to Dehra. He met the girl only once and never saw her again, yet she remained in his memory. On his return journey, he looked for her and found her. They were happy to see each other like long-lost friends, though they did not speak a word—their silence spoke more than words. He felt like staying with her but did not do so. He told her that he needed to go to Delhi, and she replied softly that he need not go anywhere, perhaps expressing her wish to keep him there. Both of them separated unwillingly as the train left the station with the hope of meeting again. The meeting helped to break the monotony of his journey and gave him a sense of attachment and responsibility toward the girl. Even after the journey, for a long time later, he kept thinking of the girl he met at the station at Deoli.

Q6. Why did the narrator feel restless and unhappy during his later visits to Dehra?

Ans: The narrator felt restless and unhappy during his later visits to Dehra because he never saw the basket-selling girl again at the Deoli Station. He always hoped to meet her once more, and when she was never there, it made him feel disappointed and lonely. He realized that their brief meeting had left a deep emotional impact on him, and the thought that he might never meet her again made him sad and uneasy.

Q7. Why did the narrator feel disappointed?

Ans: The next summer, soon after his college term finished, he hurriedly left for Dehra. His visit to see his grandmother was just an excuse—he was eager to meet the girl once again. But this time, she was not to be seen at the Deoli Station. Though he waited for a long time, this deeply disappointed him, and a sense of foreboding overcame him on his way back to Delhi. He again waited anxiously to see her, but in the end, it was in vain. Upon inquiry, he learned that the girl had stopped coming to the station to sell her baskets, and nobody knew about her. Once again, he had to run to catch his train. He made up his mind that he would definitely break his journey there someday, spend a day in the town, make inquiries, and find the girl who had stolen his heart.

Q8. How did the narrator try to find and meet the girl?

Ans: The following year in summer, he again walked up and down the platform hoping to see the girl, but somehow he could not bring himself to break the train journey to look for her. He seemed afraid of discovering the truth about her—afraid that he might find out something unpleasant, which he did not want to know. He wanted to retain his sweet memories of her. He suggested to his readers that he did not want to project himself like a hero of a movie, where the hero would meet his beloved after hardships and finally win her over. He preferred to keep hoping and dreaming, waiting for the girl.

We know very little about the young man’s family and circumstances, but we can see ourselves in him. We all remember moments of fantasy like love or feelings of strong attraction toward a person we barely know. We know what it’s like to build someone up in our imagination. The narrator never moved beyond that stage- he never acted, and he remained filled with memories because of it. narrator is a kind of “everyman,” easy for readers to empathize with.

Q9. Why did the narrator never break his journey at Deoli, though he wished to meet the girl?

Ans: Although the narrator wished to stop at Deoli, he feared destroying the idealized image he had created. The uncertainty and the possibility of reality not matching his dream held him back.

(i) Tenderness or Affection: He remembered the girl fondly. Even though he met her only twice, the brief encounter touched his heart deeply.

(ii) Longing and Desire: The narrator felt a deep sense of longing for the girl. He wished he could see her again or at least know what happened to her, but she remained only a beautiful memory.

(iii) Sadness and Regret: There was sorrow in his heart because he never met her again and missed the chance to express his feelings. He regretted not acting on impulse to know her better.

(iv) Nostalgia: Over the years, the memory of the girl became a symbol of lost youth and innocent love. Thinking of her brought back emotions of that time—pure, simple, and unforgettable.