By Dr Tania Saili Bakshi
‘The Echoes of Landour: A Resonate Longing’
ISBN no: 979-8-90007-106-0
Publisher: Notion Press
Pages:160
By: Raghav A Bijalwan & Raj A Bijalwan.
Mussoorie, 7 Sep: ‘The Echoes of Landour: A Resonate Longing’ by twin brothers Raghav and Raj A Bijalwan was released, here, on 5 September. The Chief Guest at the event was Municipal Chairperson Meera Saklani. Special guests included writer Ganesh Saili, former IG, BSF, Manoranjan Tripathi, former Municipal President Manmohan Singh Mall, former Municipal President OP Uniyal, Mussoorie BJP Mandal President Rajat Agarwal and the authors’ grandmother, Anjali Bijalwan.
The young talented authors fourth poetry book is a heartfelt tribute to their hometown Mussoorie. Titles such as Come, Walk with Me!, “Be Quiet”, Where Would the Road Lead?, Grieve Not, O Queen, Scars of Landour, We’ve Had a History to Share, express the anguish and pain the authors feel for a place they call home. They state, “Mussoorie is not only a tourist destination but also a historical city, but the present plight of our hometown inspired us to write poetry.”
The event brought together writers, teachers, students, residents and admirers of the town’s cultural heritage. Through their poems, the authors highlighted the challenges that are threatening the city’s identity, while also celebrating the eternal beauty of Mussoorie.
Author Ganesh Saili congratulated the young men on their creation, stating, “Hats off to you two for continuing to write with such passion. That is amazing and a special thanks to your mother and grandmother who have encouraged you to keep writing, congratulations!’
Over the 160 pages, the authors stress on the need of the hour for citizen participation in saving what remains of the Queen of Hills. They hope that their writings will serve as a reminder to the custodians of their beloved town. They urge its residents to consider a common approach to preserving the cultural tradition and heritage of Mussoorie, a message that resonates throughout the book.
They end their book with lines of wisdom and hope for the future:
For in the darkness, a light will shine,
And guide our town back to glory divine.
Like a phoenix, the town will rise again,
The Queen will reign again.
(Dr Tania Saili Bakshi is the Programme Director of Valley of Words, Arts and Literature Festival. She is also the Consultant Editor for Newspost, Uttarakhand’s only bilingual news web-portal.)
