Landour: A walk in paradise

Landour for me is Ruskin Bond and Victor Banerjee. Interestingly, I had just heard about Landour from a friend who visited the place months back. That was the only idea I had about the ‘heaven’ (Yes, I would like to call it in that way!!) Months later, time knocked my door and I googled the place. My search led me to few interesting and unexplored facts from Landour and I instantly decided to pack my bags and spend my vacation in this small abode in the hills.

Of all the places, the two spots which struck my mind are the houses of Ruskin Bond and Victor Banerjee (Tollywood actor and my dad’s friend. About Mr Banerjee and his link with my Dad, I am going to share in the later half of this write up). I still have no clue why these two people left a mark on me as neither I'm a voracious reader nor I have watched many of the actors work. I mean, I wanted to meet them if possible but never thought it will affect me so much. 

I was just walking down the road of this hilly town with a friend, constantly enquiring about the two houses (separately of course as both the houses were located at two opposite directions). Ruskin Bond’s house was very much a common residence amidst a neighbourhood that not at all vociferous of his presence. They prefer to treat Mr. Bond just as a normal human being and their ‘neighbor’ and not as a celebrity. 

However, Mr Banerjee's residence was in stark contrast to that of Mr Bond. What was striking was the place the actor’s house was located. Hardly any other house were located near by. It was quiet evident that the actor built his ‘parsonage’(that’s the name of his house) intentionally at a tranquil and calm location where he is left undisturbed.

While walking down the Sister Bazar road, we had no idea where we heading to. It was just an aimless walk and out of nowhere, we came across a beautiful house (which I thought cannot be a civilians house). We just stood there in front of the house, appreciating its exteriors and architecture. The house had a look of a monastery. May be the resident was a believer of Buddhism as there were also few multi-coloured tiny flags hanging from all sides of his house to the adjacent trees, just like we see in Monestaries.

Both me and my friend being an introvert were very much hesitant to volunteer and find out about the owner of the house. Just when we were fighting within ourselves on what to do and what not to do, an Alto stopped a few feet away from the house. We were pretty much sure that it must be a visitor as there were no other residence nearby. We decided we would ask the person about the owner of the house. 

Just when we were about to step ahead, I could see from over the shoulder of my friend, a man stepped out of the car and my first uttered words were ‘Victor Banerjee’. Interestingly, my friend had his smartphone and a digital camera in both his hands but we neither took a picture of the ‘old man’ (that’s how I prefer to call him) nor an autograph!

Banerjee went behind his car to check out whether everything was okay in his garden. He peered through the white wooden gate for sometime (this wasn’t clearly visible as we were little afar and still staring at him sitting by the roadside). After he was completely contented, he walked towards the entrance that had a small white wooden gate. By that time, his caretaker had walked down the steps and had opened the main door for the actor as he walked towards him. 

“Sab, dudh?” asked the caretaker, wearing a black trouser and a white shirt with a bow tie.

“Mein bhul gaya, gari me hain, le lo. (I've forgotten, its in the car)”, Banerjee replied.

The visual is still so clear in my mind that I even can remember what he carrying in his hands – car keys and an yellow box (may be it was a specs box). He was wearing a sports attire, with a blue collared t-shirt, three quarter light yellow pants and sports shoes. May be he was returning from some sports club, gym or such similar laces.

Just the moment Banerjee started climbing the stairs of his house, two dogs came running towards him and he greeted them, patting their heads. He hugged them and asked his pets to come inside with him.

After few minutes, we could hear ‘western classical’ music resonate the air ( though I don’t have much idea about it, my friend told me that its western classical!).  The way I was looking at him, my friend suggested that we should leave the place as it may create doubts. One more reason were the passersby, who invariably stopped and came up with queries such as "whose house is this?", "It's so beautiful, wish it was mine" or "Is it some restaurant?".

Most unwillingly, we started walking and then we again sat at a place from where the house was visible. At that point of time, it felt like something happened to me as neither I was keen to have a word with the actor nor I was ready to leave the place. I was completely frozen. Then my friend asked me to finally leave the place as the actor was peeping from behind the bushes and staring at us. (he was also surprised by our weird behavior. Who won't be?)

We left the place with a very a confused heart -- being lost and recalling the childhood stories about the actor which were narrated to me by my dad, who is no more but his words will always be there with me till my last breath!!! He did remind me of my dad and probably, looking at him I could see him for one more time.