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BIRTHDAY BOY BOND DEDICATES BOOK TO DAD
On his 83rd birthday, Ruskin Bond fondly remembers the 2 years he spent with his father in Delhi
With his enchanting tales like A Room on The Roof, The Blue Umbrella and Time Stops at Shamli, author Ruskin Bond has captivated readers of all age groups. As the beloved Mussoorie-based writer turns 83 today, he has a new book ready for his eager fans — Looking for the Rainbow: My Years with Daddy.
As the title suggests, the memoir focusses on the two years that he spent with his father in Delhi during the early 1940s. “This is the first time I’ve dedicated a book to him. This is my tribute to the man my father was, and what I learnt from him in that short
period of time. I wish all children have a father like him,” he says. Bond doesn’t regret missing school during his stay in Delhi, as he was learning at home. “And the strange thing is, when I did go back to school, I got a double promotion,” quips Bond, who is ready with another book, Confessions of a Book Lover.
Delhi was nothing short of magical for the young Bond. “It was a different world back then. We used to take a tonga to Old Delhi railway station, and there were more people on cycles, and fewer cars. Connaught Place was just new, and we stayed nearby. I was familiar with all the cinemas, cafes and bookshops,” he says.
Does he visit Delhi often now? “I do, but that’s mostly for work, sadly. But I do try to make trips to my favourite haunts, whenever I can,” he says. About the title of the book, he says, “It’s from a song we used to sing in school.” He even obliges us by singing the first few lines: “If I remember correctly, it went something like this: Bye, bye rainy day, now I’m on my way, looking for a rainbow!”
The author, who is planning to come out with his autobiography soon, says many of his characters are inspired by people he knew in real life. Earlier, he wouldn’t write with a specific age group in mind, but now, he says, “You’ve got to keep in mind who you’re writing for, as everything is so compartmentalised”.