How far down are you willing to go?

BANGALORE: With sounds ricocheting from within, as little hands made vain pretences – woven threads of fantasy continued to enchant the world of dormant rivers. Where the brooks of morning ran in melancholic ripples; and the swallows’ serenade rose with passion; the whispering echoes of amber rays caressed the landscape with fiery hope. And, beneath the creeping waves of time; encompassed by the serenity and radiance of nature; as the tiny pedant gazed upon the azure sky one summer afternoon; vagaries of hallucinations concurred with the moody hues of the horizon.Down the swirling rabbit hole, in the midst of shrinking, Alice’s pondering time and again over a limitless journey of philosophy brings familiarity to a changing world. And, while contemplating different perspectives in her quest for hope and meaning, she had stumbled upon several friends and foes in a magical province. Exuding deep spiritual wisdom with psychedelic poetry, the hypnotic blue caterpillar (smoking hookah) indeed proved to be a catharsis of sufferance. Be it her tryst with the Duchess and the Queen of Hearts; the mad tea party or the caucus race; the rather fascinating tale of Alice Adventures in Wonderland has enthralled us all for a century. In 1865, on this momentous day; mankind was introduced to a realm of fantasy through Alice’s adventures with her anthropomorphic friends. It was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll who penned down this brilliant narrative in the imaginative genre. City Express takes a walk down memory lane with readers to reminisce about the mesmerising world of fantasy fiction.“I remember that Friday afternoon in 1995, when Alice successfully bridged the world of fantasy and reality with great ease for me. It was definitely one of the most beautiful books I have ever read growing up. Secretly, I wished I were her. Alice in Wonderland shows how potent a combination of imagination and creativity can get. Lewis Carroll has a very dreamy style of writing which takes you on a journey and adds a lot of excitement to his characters. While the personality of characters and landscape are often descriptive; the subtle symbolisms used in the story are extremely intriguing. For instance, when the author says The Cheshire cat fades until it disappears entirely, leaving only its wide grin, suspended in the air, leading Alice to marvel and note that she has seen a cat without a grin, but never a grin without a cat; there is a slight inclination towards a philosophical approach of handling situations. While the duchess’s morality has impressed us all; the Mock Turtle and Gryphon’s dance to the lobster quadrille amused every child and adult for a century now. And not to forget, Carroll’s interpretation of blind fury in the form of a foul tempered Queen of Hearts; and her famed Off With their Heads line,” said Ashvitha Sharma, an ardent reader.As the desire for exploration of uncertainty withers into the age of wisdom; reveries of dusty beams and phantasm metamorphose into rationalism. Curiouser and curiouser indeed! “Well, there could be several interpretations of the book. For, a lot would have changed for everyone growing up. Perceptions and symbolisms play a vital role in any story. Alice in Wonderland is a brilliant merge of mystery, realism and fantasy. When I read the book as a child I found the vivid details absolutely stunning. Mushrooms, the March Hare or Bill the lizard – all had an insane effect on my imagination. But, having read the book as an adult; I believe the underlying messages hidden in pockets of knowledge within the story are both profound and meaningful. The amount of details in the book is absolutely fascinating too (like the Jabberwocky or the quivering white rabbit with his oversized pocket watch). Apart from appreciating the trippy characters and supernatural phenomena; I think this book deserves a shot at understanding society in large,” said Vivek Digambernath, a book lover.And, beyond the beauty of dreamscape as echoes fade and memories die; a strange entwinement of love and endurance gives rise to insanity. For, within the worlds of immorality and integrity, lay the totem of divine existence. Further, rummaging through these specks of eternal harmony, as scattered contours of dim lit shadows begin to covet our imagination; time stands still; for wandering eyes bring forth the audacious question -- How far down the rabbit hole are you willing to go?