Positives
"Ye Daulat Bhii Le Lo, Ye Shoharat Bhii Le Lo, Bhale Chhiin Lo Mujhase Merii Javaanii, Magar Mujhako Lautaa Do Bachpann Kaa Saavan, Vo Kaagaz Kii Kashtii, Vo Baarish Kaa Paanii." these magical lines by Sudarshan Faakir beautifully sums up the importance of childhood memories in our lives.
'Swami and Friends' brings out that'bachpann' in you which is silently hidden in some corner of your heart. There is something special about this book that separates it from all other creative masterpiece. That persona of innocence and childhood charm which(I'm sure) everyone would have felt during his childhood days comes alive when one is reading this book& it takes you back in those days. Page by Page, incident by incident, chapter by chapter.you re-visit your childhood with the panorama of school days and mischief you played coming before your eyes…and this is where the biggest strength of this book lies.
The author has successfully positioned himself in the mind of a ten year old lad and has provided his interpretations, excuses and idiosyncrasies is such a naturalistic& relatable manner that even an adult can relate to them, providing a nostalgic feeling of one’s childhood. His understanding of a ten year old child’s psychology enables him to depict carefree yet buoyant world of Swami’s life in most realistic and convincing manner.
I have read the book in my childhood and again as a young adult& have no qualms in saying that it gave me gratifying experience both the times. There is some inherited sweetness& innocence in the book which maintains its charm through-out. The language is simple yet engrossing, and the author narrates the events in a very lucid manner providing adequate wit and humor even in simplest of the things.
Negatives
Well, there are certain things which don’t have any negative trait& Swami and Friends is one of them. Through-out the reading of the book, I was so glued and involved in Swami’s world of Malgudi that I couldn’t notice any lapses in overall experience.
The Final Word. . .
This is one of those books falling in the'children fiction' category, which will provide the same(or infact more) joy to adults too as it makes them remember those forgotten cherished childhood moments. The sweetness and naturalness of the book makes it a must read for all.for the simple reason that we all deserve to feel that innocence& tenderness once again.as somewhere down the line, the thought always comes to each of our mind "Wish I could re-live those moments one more time"
