Rita drew the curtains of her room while gazing at the setting sun sinking below the horizon, as if quietly closing a chapter of her own life. In that lingering gaze, she caught the first twinkling stars and the scattered lights amid the rolling hills of Shillong, once called the Scotland of the East, from her home in Laitumkhrah.
Twinkling lights…. perhaps, that was all that had remained, after she had decided to give Griffith a miss.
Today, Griffith was flying back to Melbourne from Guwahati. By now, he was likely airborne, cutting through clouds with pleasant memories. He had entered her life late, yet in that brief span, they had shared moments of rare warmth. At times, she wondered, was it a gift or a gentle disruption? Should she move forward with him, or retreat into the life she had carefully built?
A practising doctor and a lifelong bachelor, Griffith had come into her world when she had long accepted solitude. After her husband’s passing, Rita had lived alone, her children absorbed in their global careers. Yet Griffith’s presence had stirred something within her, making her feel alive again, almost defying the quiet onset of age.
He was attached to a clinic in Shillong, often visiting for missionary work, having seen life closely through service to the underprivileged. They had met at the library of the Shillong Club, united by their love for books. He had proposed, gently but sincerely. Rita, however, had chosen friendship, deep, meaningful, but contained.
Rita herself was shaped by books and music. A Loreto Shillong alumna, she carried literature not on her shelves but within her being. It guided her silences, her reflections, and her sudden flashes of understanding. Music softened the edges of her loneliness.
From Pride and Prejudice, she had learned discernment, the art of seeing beyond appearances, much like Elizabeth Bennet. The writings of Rainer Maria Rilke had taught her that solitude was not emptiness, but a sacred inward journey. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet lingered within her. It question, “To be or not to be”, echoing through her own dilemmas.
And then there was the quiet surrender of “Que será, será,” popularised by Doris Day… a gentle acceptance of life’s unpredictability. The haunting transformations of Franz Kafka unsettled her, while the fear of the unknown, echoed in The Exorcist, sometimes mirrored the tremors of the earth beneath Shillong.
Reading was not an escape. It was her way of becoming.
Yet, even with her disciplined life, her fitness routines, her careful financial independence, her writing for newspapers, there lingered a faint despondency. Her children, one in Bengaluru and the other in the UK, belonged to worlds far removed from hers.
Griffith had invited her to Australia for a long stay. She had prepared for it, even reached Guwahati airport, but at the final moment, something held her back. She returned home, choosing the familiarity of her inner world over the uncertainty of a deeper bond.
She explained her decision to Griffith later. She could offer friendship, but not a life intertwined. He understood. And life carried them in separate directions.
Days settled into months.
Rita returned to her rhythms: morning exercise, quiet writing, walks through Police Bazar, cups of hot tea against the Shillong chill, and occasional visits to the Ward Lake and Shillong Club. Books once again filled her hours, though now, at times, a thought of Griffith would slip quietly between the pages. The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet touched her, and the tenderness of Dr Zhivago softened her.
Six months passed in this gentle solitude.
One winter evening, as she sat with a cup of tea, the doorbell rang. Her maid had left for the day. She walked to the door and asked, “Who is it?” There was no reply. She hesitated, then opened it.
Griffith stood there.
In his hands was a bouquet of white roses, her favourite. A small placard read: “For Rita, my bestest friend”.
For a moment, she simply looked at him, as if unsure whether he belonged to memory or reality.
“How…?” she began.
He smiled, a little uncertainly this time. “Since you chose not to come to Melbourne, I thought I would come to Shillong. I’ve found work here. I’m… here, if you want me to be. We are both alone, Rita. Perhaps life is not about choosing between solitude and companionship, but finding a way to hold both.”
There was a pause, soft, unhurried.
The twilight outside had deepened, but something within her shifted, almost imperceptibly. For once, she did not search for meaning in a book, nor weigh her decision against borrowed wisdom.
Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:
EXPERIENCE THE RHINE FALLS: Unforgettable sights at the largest waterfall in Europe. Enjoy the best view of the largest waterfall in Europe
From the Cuckoo Clock factory in Germany at 3 in the afternoon, we left for the Rhine Fall in Switzerland located in the municipality of Neuhausen Am Rhinefall. While negotiating, the scenic mountain windings in the Bavarian Alps, I kept nostalgically recollecting my bygone life in the thick of those absorbing musical instrumentals of my all-time favourites streaming in a sequence on my mobile. I was reminded of the best scene of Dr Zhivago when Omar Sharif runs up to the room above, and breaks the glass pane to have one last glimpse of Julie Christie from the window as the image of the sledge pulled by horses, carting her, starts diminishing in the snowy surroundings. This is when the melodious tune of ‘Lara’s theme’, fills the ambience in the hall. This is followed by the ‘Love theme’ from Romeo and Juliet, by the Dutch violinist Andre Rieu, and then comes the famous Scarborough Fair (some call it a hymn) by British flautist Adrian Bret. What followed were the memories of the great Richard Burton and his famous Alistair Maclean movie ‘Where Eagles Dare’, which had so much to do with the Bavarian Alps located in Germany and Austria.
Pamphlet showing aerial view of Rhinefall
We were at the Rhinefall at five. It is the most powerful waterfall by flow rate in Europe. Earlier there were only rocks and stones there but when the water arrived it turned into a horizontal waterfall. The falls are located on the High Rhine, on the border between the cantons of Schaffhausen and Zurich, between the municipalities of Neuhausen am Rheinfall and Laufen-Uhwiesen/Dachsen, next to the town of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland.
View of the falls
The falls cannot be climbed by fish, except by eels that can worm their way up over the rocks. At 5.40 PM we boarded a forty-seater yellow boat. It took us to the rock island at the centre of the fall. We climbed the steep stairs to reach the top of the rock island to have the amazing three-sixty-degree view, where one could feel droplets of water falling on your face from the plunge pool.
The nearest town to Rheinfall waterfall is Neuhausen am Rheinfall, just north of the Rhinefalls, where tourists can view the Worth Castle, and the Laufen Castle overlooking the waterfall. Access to the other side of the river is possible through boat services or via a sidewalk on the railway bridge (Rheinfallbrücke) upstream of the waterfall.
Various views of the falls
Away from boat tours to the Rhine Falls’ rock (Rheinfallfelsen), there are also viewing platforms with views of the waterfall built on both sides of the Rhine River. These are reached via steep and narrow stairs. Even elevators exist in some places.
Guided tours of various lengths starting from Laufen Castle on the Zurich side of the falls are also there. A youth hostel is also located in Schloss Laufen. Various restaurants are located in Schloss Laufen, Schlössli Wörth and the Rheinfall park.
The train that takes you to the boarding station
The Rhine Falls was formed in the last ice age, approximately 14,000 to 17,000 years ago. About 132,000 years ago the course of the river changed southwards at Schaffhausen and formed a new channel, which also filled up with gravel. Part of the Rhine today includes this ancient riverbed. There is a long history of Rhinefall that cannot be told in this short column. The formation of the Rhine Falls is at display in a permanent exhibition at the Museum zu Allerheiligen (a former Benedictine monastery) in Schaffhausen.
Fahrplan (German) … Timetable (English)
After having a clear all-around view we returned to the boarding station from where we had boarded the same forty-seater yellow boat. The river water was crystal clear and blue. We could see several shoals and many of them were quite colourful. Upon reaching the boarding station we were in for a pleasant surprise as we were served Indian Masala Tea and Mumbai’s famous Vada-Pav right at the heart of the Rhine Fall in Switzerland. After the Rhine Fall, we travelled for two hours to reach our hotel Seddam Plaza in Seddam Centre in Pfäffikon, Switzerland. With that, the long journey across the Black Forest in Germany and the Rhine Fall in Switzerland came to a pleasant end …… Woh Indian sham kuch ajeeb thee, yeah European sham kuch ajeeb hai.
Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety in content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause? The bank details are given below:
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Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)
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Kamlesh Tripathi’s Publications
GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE
(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 8 prestigious libraries of the US which include Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed at MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in libraries and archives of Canada; Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India; Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore).
ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY
(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; It is also available for reading in the Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)
AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES
(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity, which is the undying characteristic of Lucknow. The book was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2014. It is included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California; Berkeley Library, University of California).
REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD
(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2016).
TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN
(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his way through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February 2018 at Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
RHYTHM … in poems
(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day-to-day life. A few poems from the book have been published in Shillong Times, Bandra Times and Bhavan’s Journal. The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
MIRAGE
(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available on Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)
AWADH ASSAM AND DALAI LAMA … The Kalachakra
(The story of the man who received His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his retinue in 1959 as a GOI representative when he fled Tibet in 1959. The book was launched on 21st November 2022 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama at Dharmshala. The title is archived in the library of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) Government of Tibet, Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) and the personal library of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The title is also archived in The Ohio Digital Library, USA. It was recently included in the digital library of the world-renowned company APPLE).
BHAVANS JOURNAL
Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1. Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2. Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3.Eagle versus Scholars June, 15 & 20, 2020; 4.Indica, 15.8.20; 5.The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6.Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9.The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10.Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11.Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12.Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13.Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14.A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15.Are Animals Better Teachers? June 16, 2021; 16.Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17.Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18.Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19.Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20.Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25.Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26.The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22; 27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29.Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22; 33. Good Name vs Bad Name 15.10.22; 34.Uttarapath—The Grand Trunk Road 1.12.22; 35.When Gods Get Angry 1.1.23; 36. Holinshed’s Chronicles 15.1.23; 37. Theogony 15.2.23; 38. Poem: Mother 14.5.23; 39. THE NAG MANDIR 30.6.23; 40. The Story of Garuda 30.7.23; 41. Janmabhoomi vs Karmabhoomi 31.8.23; 42. The Ghost Town of Kuldhara 15.9.23; 43. The Tale of Genji 15.10.23; 44. The Soul Connection 1.12.23;
SHILLONG TIMES—SUNDAY EDITION
ARTICLES & POEMS: 1. POEM: HAPPY NEW YEAR 8.1.23; 2. POEM: SPRING 12.3.23; 3. POEM: RIGHT AND WRONG 20.3.23; 4. THE GUSH OF EMOTION—WRITING, 26.3.23; 5. THE NAG MANDIR, 7.5.23; 6. POEM:MOTHER 7.5.23; 7. POEM: RAIN RAIN 9.7.23; 8. POEM:YOU COME ALONE YOUGO ALONE 6.8.23; 9. RAIN RAIN (SECOND TIME) 10.8.23; 10. POEM: GURU TEACHER 10.8.23; 11. POEM: AUTUMN … THE INTERIM HEAVEN 15.10.23; 12. POEM: HAPPY DIWALI 12.11.23; 13. OVERCOMING BLINDNESS: LEARN IT THE JOHN MILTON WAY 10.12.23; 14. THE HAPPY PRINCE AND THE HAPPY MAN’S SHIRT 31.12.23; 15. ANNUS MIRABILIS 2024 7.1.24; 16. GANDHI TO MAHATMA GANDHI- Incidents that Shaped Gandhi in South Africa 28.1.24; 17. POEM: TOGETHER BUT NOT MADE FOR EACH OTHER, 11.2.24;
THE ASSAM TRIBUNE
ARTICLE: 1. THE MAGIC OF READING 11.12.23; 2. GANDHI TO MAHATMA 29.1.24
29.12.2020: INDICA BY MEGASTHENES; 14.3.22: ABOUT THE DIMASA KINGDOM ASSAM; 10.12.22: GRAND TRUNK ROAD-UTTARAPATH; 5.10.23: THE GHOST TOWN OF KULDHARA NEAR JAISALMER;
(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)
Shravan charity mission 