The Rickshaw Reveries-Ipshita Nath

Book: The Rickshaw Reveries-Dark Dazzling Delhi Stories

Author: Ipshita Nath

Publisher: Simon & Schuster India

Silently plying on the road, inconspicuous by nature, have you ever thought a humble cycle rickshaw can have a story behind it, the rickshawwallah whom we tend to forget have an interesting anecdote?

The Rickshaw Reveries- Dark Dazzling Delhi Stories by Ipshita Nath is a collection of 12 short stories, across the length and breadth of the city called as Delhi, or more popularly, Dilli. With stories that are both terrifying and enticing, the book takes us into the underbelly of the shiny city into the world of the people that move it, exploring Delhi’s many subterranean truths. From drug peddlers to Khan Market diplomats, some very unique elements form a part of these stories of madness, delinquency and delirium.

The Rickshaw Reveries- Dark Dazzling Delhi Stories by Ipshita Nath has a very rustic touch to it, a primal language that oozes the charm of Delhi. With very local language used in it, the book manages to transport the reader into the part of the city where it is taking place. Be it the bylanes of Chandni Chowk or Mayur Vihar Extension Metro Station, or the upmarket areas of Khan Market, if you have been in Delhi, you’ll visualize the stories. The storytelling is engrossing and each of the 12 tales has a twist in the end that you’ll never see coming, even in the 12^th story by when a reader would have gotten used to the style of stories. Personally, I loved the story “A Metamorphosis on the Northern Ridge” where Ipshita has given a background to an urban myth. “Kabootarbaazi” is another favorite of mine from the collection because it had a very emotional touch to it. The way the story of Bhishan Singh and Nawab unfolds is a sight to behold. The story “Dream Girl” deserves a special mention because it was very contemporary with the way it was set and the entire concept of the story gave me the chills, specially the climax because it was relatable to a certain extent. With a mix of folklore, a touch of magic, family traditions and some good old crime stories, Ipshita has managed to bottle the essence of the city of Dilli just like The Attarwala of Gulabi Gali.

With 12 short stories, talking about characters is a dead giveaway, but I would like to mention the central character that features in all 12 stories-the humble cycle rickshaw. It was a stroke of genius to include it in all the stories as a common thread, almost like the one that holds a necklace together. It might seem like an insignificant factor, but for the book, it is the protagonist. It is where the stories originate, it is where the stories end. Maybe this book might just change the way we look at our three-wheeled rides.

Overall, my mind was blown, 12 times over, and the book cycles away with 4.75/5 from me.

Get a copy of the book here.