Hello readers,
Like many, I first encountered Ruskin Bond through his delightful children’s stories of which some of them we had in our school texts too.
Also like many, I too wish to meet him one day. Not for anything else, but to thank him for the immense clarity his stories provide. Words cannot express how much it tempts me to gaze out the window Bond talks about so often. The same window which looks out to the breathtaking view of gently swaying pines, sunlight dancing across the hills and faint fog covering everything.
Today May 19, 2025 as I write this marks the day when Ruskin Bond, turns 91. Born in the quiet hill town of Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, and now residing in Landour, Mussoorie, Bond continues to inspire readers with his timeless tales, gentle wisdom, and love for the mountains.
Well, Reading Ruskin Bond as an adult is a quiet revelation. The simple stories I once encountered are now revealing themselves to me as layered phrases on nature, solitude, memories, and life. His words provide me stillness and clarity, like sunlight illuminating through the misty mountains.
And so, on his birthday, I wanted to share some of my favourite quotes from his books. Words that have stayed with me and still echo in the quieter corners of my heart:
On Loneliness and Belonging
"It is always the same with mountains. Once you have lived with them for any length of time, you belong to them. There is no escape."
- Rain in the Mountains: Notes from the Himalayas
On Mystery and Imagination
"The trees were mysterious, dark, and shadowy, and I liked to imagine strange creatures lurking among them."
-A Face in the Dark and Other Hauntings
On Caves and Hidden Worlds
"There are caves in these mountains -deep, dark, unexplored. No one knows what lies within."
- The Hidden Pool
On Dehradun and Nostalgia
"Dehra was a green world, a world of trees - mango, litchi, and eucalyptus, and of quiet walks under old banyan trees."
- Scenes from a Writer’s Life
On the Beauty of a Simple Life
"It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile—the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest, and living close to nature."
- The Lamp is Lit
On Compassion and Being Human
"To be able to laugh and to be merciful are the only things that make man better than the beast."
- The Blue Umbrella
On Love and Connection
"To love and be loved is the greatest happiness of existence."
- The Lamp is Lit
On Solitude and Peace
"Solitude is not absence of company, but the moment when our soul is free to speak to us and help us decide what to do with our life."
- A Book of Simple Living
On Childhood and Growing Up
"The past is always with us, for it feeds the present."
- Scenes from a Writer’s Life
On Time and Impermanence
"Nothing is permanent, not even the sun and moon. Everything changes, but the memory of love stays."
- Rusty Runs Away
On Nature and Stillness
"Nature has been kind to me: she has provided solitude, beauty, and spiritual nourishment. I need nothing more."
- A Book of Simple Living
On Grief and Honesty
"You don't have to be strong all the time. It's okay to be sad, to miss someone, to cry."
- Collected Fiction of Ruskin Bond
On Hope and Renewal
"You may lose people, places, things - but never your capacity to begin again."
- The Lamp is Lit
On Contentment and Slowing Down
"A little idleness now and then is a good thing. It gives the mind time to recharge, like a battery."
- A Little Book of Life
These quotes are more than words. It's how the reader grabs the intent and feels and cherises the experience.
Well that's it. I end here.
Do share your experience or maybe your favourite quote of Ruskin Bond. Would love to read that.
Thank you.
- Jayesh
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