With Ruskin Bond
December 7, 2006
Jolly Grant, Dehra (India)
On a day when I failed to make it to the ‘hardly-known’ Pari Tibba (the infamous burnt/haunted hill), the day ended with a pleasant meeting with one of my all-time favorite authors, Ruskin Bond.
On our way to Lal Tibba, we saw Ruskin standing on the narrow lane outside his Ivy Cottage in Landour area. He greeted us with a heart-warming smile and invited us (me and my father) upstairs. My father was very much surprised by how humble such a famous person can be. We sat and talked for a while in his sitting room. As expected it was full of books, old photographs, and the aroma that is ever present in his stories.
Although my main purpose of visiting Mussoorie was to meet Ruskin, I almost would have missed by him if his lunch company hadn’t been late. He was enjoying the Himalayan peaks from the narrow road when we drove up and stopped by the roadside. He said that someone was supposed to pick him up for lunch, but was running late. And lo! Before I could say another word, he invited us to come up for a while to have a chat. I told him that I have been reading his stories for almost 15 years and how I’d always wanted to meet the person whose pen could churn out words so simple, yet heartfelt.
We sat and chatted for a while before a magazine called him from Bombay, wanting to know his 5 favorite Authors. At the end, I asked him to recite a poem and autograph his book, “The Rupa Book of Ruskin Bond’s Himalayan Tales”. I knew that he loved the old American Opera music of Eddy Nelson and Jeanette McDonald, so I had taken their music collection with me from the States, which I presented to him.
To view the photos from my visit, click here
Here is his address: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shayargautam/341188051/in/set-72157601720375012.
thanks Gautam…for sharing the address:)
hi gautam!
i’m a big fan of ruskin bond books and poems. unfortunately, I lived really long time in dehradun but had no opportunity to see him. Could you please mail me his contact phone number. thanks a lot in advance! It would be my dream come true to talk to him.
my email id is iqbal@tzv.fal.de
hey thats gr8!!!!
fantastic i am a big fan of ruskin bond!!!!!
this is superb!!!!!!!
Thanks for coming by Rekha
can we think like him if yes thaen we should the generation in the way of his
.. ThanQ Goutam for the address you provided…. That will surely help me to write a word to him…
Long live the fantastic Writing and thus.. Our Rooskieee…!!!!
Dear Gautam,
I really enjoyed about your experience of meeting Ruskin, or should I say THE RUSKIN BOND. He is my most favourite writer;rather the most loved writer of India. He has got an enchanting style of writting and dwells in the hearts of his fans through them. I would request you to give me his address or at least his e-mail ID.
—A fan of Rusty,
Abhinab
i love your poem tigers forever
Dear Gautam,
You are lucky to meet Ruskin Bond. But how come you both are wearing red jersey with blue shirt?
You can call it a Himalayan co-incidence, Dr Mitra
h!! gautam
after read about the ruskin bond i really fan of ruskin bond.
thank u gautam
I shall be greatful to have a contact ph. no. from Ruskin whom I used to spend some time with about 50 years ago but have lost all contacts. Of course you can please check with him and take his concent.
THANKS.
i stumbled across this site while searching for a few short stories by him, which i still don’t have. he’s such a lovely person, and his stories are amazing. ur lucky to have met him….thanks for putting up the video for us fans.
i hope i can meet him next year when i go to dehra. my dad met him, i hope so can i.
his writing style conjures up vivid images, and whoever reads his stories, can associate him/herself with them.
Thank u for the lovely pics Gautam.. God bless u
hey Gautam,
Today i guess i have lived my life to the fullest.. After seeing these awesome pics of
Mr.Bond. I have them everywhere. on my study table, on my cell, on my laptop etc.. It has been my childhood
dream to meet Mr.Bond. I am an ardent reader of his books since a long time.. I would be grateful to you all
my life if u could help me realise this dream.. please get in touch with me (saketjadhav1013@gmail.com).
You are indeed a very lucky man to have met him.. waiting to hear from you at the earliest.. Loads of love and Good wishes.. Saket
Hello Gattu
You know,Gattu was the favourite word of Yogesh Dhar in his teens hahahahahaha………
I still cherish those memories of you both.
It was nice to visit your website again after longtime.
I wish you some great great moments in life to come.
Striving for Universal Citizenship
Hi,
I met Ruskin Bond a couple of weeks ago myself. I agree with the way you’ve put it forth. He’s been an author whose works we’ve been reading since childhood and standing in his presence at IVY Cottage, Landour was an enthralling experience in itself.
I couldn’t believe that Mr. Bond was such a humble, modest and nice person. A small thing I’d like to share with this community when I went there. It was December 01, 2009 and the time was around 03:00 in the afternoon. Being winter, Mussourie was cold enough. Mr. Bond was expecting us as I had made an appointment the same morning. As we went in, he was trying to get the electric heater on, which was kept on a pile of books (man’s best friend; after the faithful canine of course). We (my friend and me) helped him get it on and he said, “If not for anything, it’ll provide us light.” That sentence is one which I’ll never forget for life. His sense of humor was so good, which very few people I’ve met or seen have.
Keep me posted if you hear of any of Mr. Bond’s new books coming up.
Rajeev Malur.
Dear Gautam,
I m the biggest fan of Ruskin Bond in the world.Could u pls send me his contact no. and address? Thanks a lot.
My e-mail address is diksha.diksha.jaiswal@gmail.com
i am chetna
iam agreat fan of him please send me his email id
ilove the story the cherry tree
bye che
He does not use email ID. Refer to my pics for his postal address.
hi, i found ur post through google..u r so lucky man..can u pls pls give me his postal address, i would love to write to him.. pls do reply.
m waitin desperately,
thx
hi,i am akshi.
can you please send me ruskin bond’s phone number , house address and e-mail id at akshividushi@gmail.com.
i am a big fan of him and want to meet him.
Hi Guatam,
There was an instant smile on my face after watching the video. I’m an ardent fan of Bond sir and love all his stories and poems especially the Ghost ones. I would grateful to you if you could please mail me his number on this ID:
ramu.visioncomptech@gmail.com
Regards.
Hey Thanks a ton Gautam for posting this… you were really lucky to mee mr. Bond
I tried meeing him butgues was a completely wrong tim n date… so he cudnt meet me… but just fel great bout the fact that i atleast got to ee him… Tanksa ton again for sharing this video… it was really nice
Diptee
Hey Gautham,
I would be a very grateful if you could give Mr.Ruskin Bond ‘s phone number. My email address is vijay.fordmustang@gmail.com . You are blessed to have met him in person ,I hope one day I have the privilege too.
I saw your posted video , indeed felt happy at heart.
Visiting mussorie next month. Hope to find luck.
gautam
thank you so much for his address
I am writnig him a letter.
Hope he replies!
hey ,
wonderful video…….luved it..
i’m 15 yrs old and aim 2 b an author,
so i was wonderin if u could gimme his no. too,
he might b gettin fed up of so many fans callin…
bt i would luv 2 contact him….
i 2 lke others m a gr8 fan of u-know-who
thnk u ever so much
Hi what a wonderful experience you have narrated of meeting the one and only Mr Ruskin Bond.
Today is his birthday and I have been frantically searching for his address that I got now. Can you please email me his phone number if you dont mind?
my email id is rashavan06@yahoo.com
Thanks