In Conversation With The Legendary Writer, Ruskin Bond

In Conversation With The Legendary Writer, Ruskin Bond

It’s funny how our world changes but some stories about it don’t. Stories written from heart; stories written by people who understood how the world works stand the test of time. Ruskin Bond is one such name whose stories have regaled generation after generation.

Born in pre-Independence India, Bond’s body of writing work spanning six decades have had a vast influence on children’s literature. But that would only be scratching the surface as the 83-year old writer of British descent has enriched Indian literature with a vast variety of award winning short stories and novels. If ‘The Room on the Roof’ won him John Llewellyn Rhys Prize when Bond was barely 23, many of his works went on to be adapted for Bollywood films. The 1978 Shyam Benegal-directed cult film “Junoon” – produced by the late Shashi Kapoor – was based on his book ‘A Flight of Pigeons’. Similarly, The Blue Umbrella that fetched Vishal Bharadwaj a National Film Award for Best Children’s Film was adapted on his work by the same name.

MCL caught up with Bond when he was in Bhubaneswar recently to get an insight into his life and mind as he opened up about himself, this city and the how time has changed literature and life itself!

You keep visiting this city once every year for over almost eight years now. Why do you choose this city?

I remember visiting the city some time back. I was called upon by the KIIT administration to its tribal school (KISS). That place was one amongst the few places I found both spectacular and calm. I then paid a visit to the KIIT International School and I liked the environment. I was then offered to be the brand ambassador of the school which I accepted after getting to know the people and place. That apart, I have enjoyed visiting Gopalpur. The old sea was a fascinating experience!

Picture Courtesy: Scroll.in

So, how has Bhubaneswar changed over years?

It’s a good city, well planned. The city looks like it has grown over time in its own pace and has not been ‘rushed into making.’ In my last visit, I realised the traffic has grown, roads have turned busier and new buildings have come up. All said, I have seen a lot many cities grow but this city for sure looks like “hope”.

Now that we have talked about changes, I have to ask, how has literature changed over time?

The style changes, good literature doesn’t. The sort of books changes but the craft remains the same. The story that is popular today might not be popular tomorrow, which always has been the case. The dynamics keep changing. Back in the day, I had to keep writing constantly to stay in touch with the audience; else someone would take over, exactly like today. But then I had a narrow medium of writing (sighs).

Now I see kids reciting poems and stories on various platforms like the internet. For better or worse, there has been a change, which I don’t completely understand but this does look like the new face of progress. But we have nothing to be afraid of because good literature remains the same!

Picture Courtesy: Telengana Today

Then why aren’t classics written anymore?

They are written. They just mightn’t be discovered yet. Most classics were written in or during the 19th century Epidemic was at its peak then. Many writers died succumbing to tuberculosis during those times. Writers knew they were about to die. That was the time they wrote books that are called ‘classics’ today. They knew that the book they are writing is the only work they could do. And, how can someone possibly go wrong with work in the last moments left of life?

Today, one sees a a lot of upcoming writers. Any advice for them?

First time writers should write coherently with good attention to grammar and have to remain honest with the craft. Mistakes young writers do is that they focus more on the style of writing rather than the substance. What I suggest is always write in a language you are comfortable with and not just in English for the sake of being accepted or due to peer pressure. And secondly you have to be ready for criticism and disappointments. There will rejections in the beginning. It happens with every writer, me included.

Picture Courtesy: Wikipedia

Has it ever occurred to you that you would stop writing one day? Is there any date of retirement as of yet?

Writers don’t retire. It gives me a different kind of pleasure every day to sit with a pen and paper, to jot down different observations in my way. So, there is no date of retirement.
Also there are quite a few future projects ahead for my readers!

Feature and banner Image Courtesy: The dailynewnation.com