‘The love of books motivates me’: Ruskin Bond

Ruskin Bond, who turns 84 today, wasn’t expecting my call. So when I got through the author’s landline number, a deep voice informed me in broken Hindi that Mr Bond’s gone out and will be available only after one or two hours.

Two hours later, when we confronted him, he admitted it was him on the phone earlier. “I shouldn’t have spoken in Hindi,” he said, but on being informed that it was his poor Hindi in the first place that made me doubt him, he laughed and said, “That’s true, my Hindi is pretty awful! Sometimes I say, ‘Sorry Bond saab ghar pe nahi hai, Dehradun chala gaya.”

It’s this inherent warmth and humour that has made the wordsmith one of India’s most loved writers. He’s had a remarkable journey as an author, writing for over 60 years. 

But age and time hasn’t slowed him down. Like every year, he’s got a couple of books coming out this year as well, including one for children, a collection of essays titled Stumbling Through Life, a slambook as well another memoir for adults. “There’s also a little book on flowers. I love flowers and plants, so I got to write about them,” he says with a smile. In between mouthfuls of cheese toast, he chats with us about his literary journey, his ‘friendly’ ghosts and what he’s going to do with all the birthday cakes he will be sent today...

You have been writing for over 60 years. How have you managed to keep churning out books year after year, without slowing down?

I guess I’m writing as much as I did when I started off. Probably because I enjoy the process of writing. It was something I was good at, at school and by the time I finished school, I wanted to be a writer. I was a bookworm and a great reader. Maybe I wanted to emulate my favourite authors (laughs). I liked writers who were a bit different, who had a good English style but didn’t necessarily write bestsellers. I read widely — classics, even detective fiction and humour. So, I guess it’s just the love of books and literature that motivated me.

That’s why it’s never been difficult for me. Over the years, I’ve been pretty steady at it with maybe a few gaps here and there when I had to take the odd job. But otherwise, I have been more or less writing full time.

Some of your most popular stories involve ghosts...

It’s been a while since I wrote a ghost story. Kids have stopped believing in them. They say, ‘Sir, your ghosts are too kind and friendly, they are not scary enough’. Well, I admit, they have been quite helpful at times. I’ve got one that even left me a Christmas cake last year (laughs).

Trains and railways platforms, too, have been a recurrent theme. What is the fascination they hold for you?

Those were my early stories. In the ’50s and ’60s, all of us travelled by trains. The air services hadn’t really developed and I think everyone all over the country took the train. I used to like sitting on railway platforms and observing and sometimes, I got a story like that. I liked the atmosphere, the steam engines in those days, stations that looked dramatic even when they weren’t.

The Night Train at Deoli remains a great favourite...

Oh yes, and it’s one of my earliest stories. Readers often ask me, ‘Did you meet her again? Will she still be there now?’ I say ‘She’ll be an old hag like me’ (laughs).

You’ve lived in so many places in India, but you have been settled in Mussoorie for the past 50 years. Tell us about that.

My maternal grandparents were settled here, so a lot of my childhood was spent here. So, when I came back from England, this was where I came to. It was the place I knew best. I think you write best about the place you’re familiar with.

In your room with the little window...

Out of the 50 years in Mussorie, the last 30 have been in my present abode, which has a window that looks out on the sky. So, I see the clouds changing, the mountains directly in front of me and then the valley below. If I look right down, I can see the rubbish dump too in the corner (laughs).

You’ve said earlier that every writer needs a window...

Not just writers, I think we all need windows.

So what’s your birthday wish for yourself?

(Laughs) Well, I haven’t thought of it. Maybe to just keep writing good stories.

And have something special to eat on your day? We know you’re fond of food...

I love food, but I’m not into fancy things. Well, I’ll get cakes — the local bookshop and my publishers will send me cakes, so I’ll get everyone in the house to eat them. I prefer salty things — tikkis, golgappas and chaats (smiles).