Explanation of The Lesson - Lesson. English Language CBSE, Class 8

2/17/24, 12:25 PM Explanation of the lesson — lesson. English Language CBSE, Class 8.
8. Explanation of the lesson
The lesson gives us a glimpse into the diary of Ruskin Bond. The first day being
talked about was June 24. It was the time around which the monsoon started, and
the mist had wrapped the hills in silence.
Mist wrapped the hills
As written, June 24 was the first day when the mist appeared. The author called it
“strange”. Because all the birds suddenly went silent as a cloud of tiny water, droplets
climbed up the hill.
The author claims the mist to be melancholic in nature for two reasons. First, it covers
up the mountains and hides the serene view. Second, it silences the birds, thereby
bringing sadness.
https://www.yaclass.in/p/english-language-cbse/class-8/prose-2747/a-short-monsoon-diary-4792/re-bed963bd-76a2-4ca3-9fcc-66051eefeaba 1/9
Melancholic view
An hour before the mist appeared, the trees were ringing with birdsong. But later,
it became so still and silent. The author called the forest “deathly” as he felt that it was
almost midnight, and the forest was wrapped in utter silence.
The author could hear Bijju calling out for his sister but could not see him through the
mist. He could anticipate that Bijju was running about on the hillside.
On the 25th day of June, the hills witnessed some early monsoon rain, which brought
with itself warmth and humidity. It was different from the showers the hills receive all
year that cools environments at such high altitudes. The plants also knew very well
that the monsoon had arrived. The author describes as the first cobra lily of the
season reared its head, making its way among the ferns as the author walked till the
bank and the post office. Upon being asked by a school boy, the author described the
hill station and valley as “A paradise that might have been”, implying that during
the monsoon season, the hill station and valley were heavenly and hence the
description.
Cobra lily
In the entry on 27th June, the author mentions how the rain had brought with it a
few seasonal visitors like the leopard and lots of leeches. On the afternoon of the day
before, the leopard attacked a dog. The latter was lifted from near the servants’
quarter below the school. In the evening it almost took one of Bijju’s cows but ran
away as soon as Bijju’s mother came crying and screaming.
As the presence of leeches were increasing during the monsoon, the author says
that losing little blood to them every day has become unavoidable. He mentions a few
other creatures that arrived with the rain such as the scarlet minivets-bright red
birds that look like cuckoos; however, their female-counterparts are yellow. They
move swiftly and lightly among the leaves giving the appearance of brilliant jewels
around them. These birds are so bright in their colour that regardless of how leafy the
tree is, it was difficult for them to hide themselves. Sometimes they manage to go
unnoticed by remaining silent. A pair of Drongos also came along. These birds, quite
unnecessarily aggressive in nature, chased the minivets away.
Scarlet minivets*
Drongo
During this time, a treecreeper grew up the trunk of the oak tree, plucking insects on
its way. The rainy season ensured that there was no lack of food for those birds
that fed on insects.
Treecreeper
On August 2 , the author wrote an entry in his diary describing the rain from the
previous night. It wasn't a thunderstorm; instead, it was a steady rain that drummed on
the tin roof. The music that the rain and the roof together created helped the author to
remain awake when he had wanted to. On the other hand, it wasn't disturbing as the
sound never prevented him from falling asleep.
Rain falling on the tin roof
He explains how the sound of rain created a pleasant atmosphere for reading. The
sound of rain outside helped him find the quiet within himself. However, the author
explains that tin roofs would cause the rainwater to leak through the corners of the
inner wall of the room. Nevertheless, the author claims that he was not disturbed by
the leaks as they gave him the feeling of being touched and yet remain untouched by
the rain.
As the rain stopped on the 3 rd of August, the clouds began to separate, giving way to
the sun over the hills on the author’s left. A woman was seen chopping up sticks, and
the tinkle of cowbells was also heard. A crow was seen sitting on the oak tree shook
itself to remove the raindrops on its feathers as it cawed unhappily. The water dripped
from the leaking drainpipe that carried off rainwater from the building.
Unhappy crow in the oak tree
Finally as everything settled, the pure song of the whistling thrush was heard like a
“dark sweet secret” from the depths of the valley.
By August 12, the hills had been experiencing continuous rain and permanent mist.
They had not seen the light of the sun for eight to nine days. Everything was wet and
moist. One could not go anywhere. The only option was to walk around in one's room
or look out of the window where a few people could be seen walking about under
their umbrellas.
The author was pleased that it was not cold rain. The vegetation could be seen
growing luxuriantly and abundantly on the hillsides as the last-monsoon flowers began
to blossom. A few flowers that started to appear were wild balsam, dahlias, begonias
and ground orchids.
The diary entry on 31st August declares the end of the monsoon. An abundance of
flowers and lush green growth fill the hills. The colour was changing from the seeds of
the cobra lily to red, hinting the end of the rainy season.
As the next few days, the flowerless plants would begin to turn yellow against their
present fresh green colour as they stand firm and upright. The author mentions how
the ground orchids, white butterfly orchids and the mauve lady’s slipper made the
grassy slopes of Landour look fashionable.
Ground orchids
Furthermore, the wild dahlias, red, yellow and magenta, turned their heads back
towards the narrow openings in the rocks where they had taken hold.
The snakes and rodents came out of their holes and burrows in huge numbers. They
took shelter in roofs, attics and godowns. A small insectivorous mammal resembling a
mouse, namely a shrew, with quite weak eyesight moved about clumsily in the room.
The children were amused by the shrew who blindly bolts around the room. Their
grandmother calls the shrew as Chuchundar and warns them against killing it. She
says the Chuchundars, as shrews are called in Hindi, are known to bring good luck,
money and prosperity.
Shrew
The author, too, mischievously wonders if the shrew has something to do with the
cheque he receives in the mail. Although not a huge amount, he welcomes it anyway.
The month of October took the mountains straight into winter rain as it marked the end
of the extended monsoon season. The higher altitudes were covered with snow.
Snow on hills
On the 3 rd day of October, the sky and hills were bathed in beautiful golden light after
experiencing a hailstorm the evening before.
In January, the hills receive winter rains. The author talked about the 26th of January
when he was alone in his house. A friend who was with him a while ago had also left.
He mentions how he felt very lonely and quiet as he sat in complete silence,
experiencing the silence within. He was surrounded by the rhythm of the rain, the slow
and gentle movement of water on leaves, lemons and roof as it drummed on already
wet dahlias and window panes. The mist covered the house gently in its darkness.
As the author stood still near the window, the rain stopped and showered again. He
mentions that the trees were now grey and no longer green, threatening him with their
loneliness.
Phrases used in the poem like "dark caress" and "menacing grey leaves" tell us that
the rain has altered its lavish tone to a grave one. The poem reinforces the sense of
melancholy and loneliness that the author seems to suffer. Perhaps, the feeling of the
author lies at the heart of any art form and its creation.
Next, he writes about late March that marked the end of winter season. He recorded
having seen the blackest and darkest cloud resting over Mussoorie. It poured hail that
looked like marbles for about thirty minutes. He reveals how there was nothing like a
hailstorm that clears the sky. Bond could see a rainbow forming as he wrote,
signifying that there is hope and joy yet in the lap of nature.

Explanation of The Lesson - Lesson. English Language CBSE, Class 8

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2/17/24, 12:25 PM Explanation of the lesson — lesson. English Language CBSE, Class 8.

8. Explanation of the lesson

Mist wrapped the hills

Rain falling on the tin roof

Unhappy crow in the oak tree

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