An Evening with a Man with a Balcony
Introduction: Puja Goyal finds out why Ruskin Bond continues to be one of the most noted and well-read Indian writers...
Article: Mr. Ruskin Bond’s latest publication ‘The India I love’ released on Feb. 14,2004, has sold 5,000 copies while ‘Blue Umbrella’ is soon to be made into a movie.
Ruskin Bond published his first book, ‘Room on the Roof’ in 1953. ‘Ways to Mussourie’, would be Bond’s 31st forthcoming offering to avid readers. The N.D. Mehra Memorial Award, which was started in the year 1993, by Rupa & Co., has recipients like Intezar Hussain, Gulzar and Sunil Gavaskar etc. with Ruskin Bond as the latest recipient. The award consists of one and half lac Rupees and a silver plate.
‘In the old days, when I was a solitary writer living on baked beans, the prospect of my suffering from obesity was very remote. Now there is a little more of the author than there used to be, and the other day five-year-old Gautam patted me on my tummy (or balcony, as I prefer to call it) and remarked: “Dada, you should join the WWF.’ Excerpt from ‘The India I love’, pg. 14.
It was certainly an evening with Mr. Ruskin Bond. Here was a man, patiently signing autographs, wearing a smile on his face, and here I was nervous, but excited. I finally got a chance tête-à-tête with him and it was worth it, the following is a gist of it…
Mr. Bond (Born 1934), grew up in Dehradun, and started his career writing poetry and short stories. It took him about three years before his first work was published and he started writing full-time. He chose short stories as a first step towards publication, because he admits that it is not easy to get poems published, besides, poets do not earn much, he said on a humorous note.
He said that he connects to children better than adults, adding that he connects with certain kinds of adults, who are fond of simple things in life.
Having heard that most children’s writers have a child within, I put forward my question; do you have a child inside you? And he, in a very cheerful voice replied “Yes! I do and he is very very naughty!” he continued with a laugh, “The child resembles the character William… he eats, wears, and does whatever he wants.’
Every author has a favorite book, for Ruskin it is ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Though he does not read much of the present day children’s writers, he found them professional, successful and skillful.
Mr. Bond has very kind words for unpublished struggling writers, “Persevere and do not allow yourself to be discouraged”. He also added by saying that ‘there isn’t anything called a good writer or a bad writer, but writers who cannot express themselves well due to lack of command over language and grammar, both of which can be improved with effort. You will know if you have a writer in you or not, it is instinctive’. ‘If you have written something it is best to experiment it on someone else, let him or her read it and give you their feedback’, Ruskin explained as a tip to writers.
One of the most important things he has learnt in life is not to be too proud, overly confident or greedy, and to know your limitations.
On a fun note, I asked him to describe himself in five words, and he used only four… “Not a Bad Writer”.
It was difficult to resist so I asked him, we know Ruskin Bond the writer, and the person, is there any other Ruskin Bond? “I won’t tell you, he is a Secret Ruskin”, he replied in a childlike mannerism.
On a passing note, he has only one thing to say to our readers, “Enjoy yourself, it is later than you think!”
Article: Mr. Ruskin Bond’s latest publication ‘The India I love’ released on Feb. 14,2004, has sold 5,000 copies while ‘Blue Umbrella’ is soon to be made into a movie.
Ruskin Bond published his first book, ‘Room on the Roof’ in 1953. ‘Ways to Mussourie’, would be Bond’s 31st forthcoming offering to avid readers. The N.D. Mehra Memorial Award, which was started in the year 1993, by Rupa & Co., has recipients like Intezar Hussain, Gulzar and Sunil Gavaskar etc. with Ruskin Bond as the latest recipient. The award consists of one and half lac Rupees and a silver plate.
‘In the old days, when I was a solitary writer living on baked beans, the prospect of my suffering from obesity was very remote. Now there is a little more of the author than there used to be, and the other day five-year-old Gautam patted me on my tummy (or balcony, as I prefer to call it) and remarked: “Dada, you should join the WWF.’ Excerpt from ‘The India I love’, pg. 14.
It was certainly an evening with Mr. Ruskin Bond. Here was a man, patiently signing autographs, wearing a smile on his face, and here I was nervous, but excited. I finally got a chance tête-à-tête with him and it was worth it, the following is a gist of it…
Mr. Bond (Born 1934), grew up in Dehradun, and started his career writing poetry and short stories. It took him about three years before his first work was published and he started writing full-time. He chose short stories as a first step towards publication, because he admits that it is not easy to get poems published, besides, poets do not earn much, he said on a humorous note.
He said that he connects to children better than adults, adding that he connects with certain kinds of adults, who are fond of simple things in life.
Having heard that most children’s writers have a child within, I put forward my question; do you have a child inside you? And he, in a very cheerful voice replied “Yes! I do and he is very very naughty!” he continued with a laugh, “The child resembles the character William… he eats, wears, and does whatever he wants.’
Every author has a favorite book, for Ruskin it is ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Though he does not read much of the present day children’s writers, he found them professional, successful and skillful.
Mr. Bond has very kind words for unpublished struggling writers, “Persevere and do not allow yourself to be discouraged”. He also added by saying that ‘there isn’t anything called a good writer or a bad writer, but writers who cannot express themselves well due to lack of command over language and grammar, both of which can be improved with effort. You will know if you have a writer in you or not, it is instinctive’. ‘If you have written something it is best to experiment it on someone else, let him or her read it and give you their feedback’, Ruskin explained as a tip to writers.
One of the most important things he has learnt in life is not to be too proud, overly confident or greedy, and to know your limitations.
On a fun note, I asked him to describe himself in five words, and he used only four… “Not a Bad Writer”.
It was difficult to resist so I asked him, we know Ruskin Bond the writer, and the person, is there any other Ruskin Bond? “I won’t tell you, he is a Secret Ruskin”, he replied in a childlike mannerism.
On a passing note, he has only one thing to say to our readers, “Enjoy yourself, it is later than you think!”
© 2004 Puja Goyal
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