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Here's how I spent my New Year's eve in Landour where I met my favourite author, Ruskin Bond.
It was the last working day of 2022, and I still had no plans for the new year. For all I knew, it was going to be a long night working on new articles, munching on pizza, and getting sleep for a few hours.
"Some new year," I whispered to myself as several ideas about celebrating the new year alone hovered in my brain. My train of thought was suddenly disrupted by a familiar voice. It was my friend who is a scriptwriter living in Mumbai.
‘Get up and get going in an hour. I got two tickets to Mussoorie for the new year. Just you and I. We deserve this break!’ She commanded and disappeared. She is like a thunderstorm amid a golden afternoon and sunshine during a tsunami! So, I tend to expect her out of nowhere, between days, months, and sometimes, years. It had been a long time since we had met. So, it was indeed a pleasant surprise for me to see her visit me and tell me that I do have a New Year's eve plan that I can flex on Instagram!
We had a Volvo sleeper set for the night as we giggled our way through the journey. The night was covered in a blanket of fog and thus was pretty cold. However, I didn't care about the cold, the night, or the crowded Mall Road – all I cared about was having fun for the next two days!
It took us exactly 12 hours to reach Dehradun from Lucknow. We got off the bus and booked a cab to ISBT Dehradun. From there, we booked a shared cab to Mussoorie that cost INR 300 per person.
Soon, the sunshine gave way to the misty hillside as we passed by several dhabas, restaurants, and stalls selling Maggi. We got off near our hotel but there was nothing fancy to boast but I loved how it was snuggled away from the bustling Mall Road of Mussoorie.
The minute I stepped out, Mussoorie came to life. The atmosphere was filled with chants of priests near a temple, voices of street vendors, someone playing the flute far away, and fading music from a Pahari music album. It was getting harder to differentiate one sound from another as we moved towards Mall Road.
Twenty minutes down the line, we were already part of the swarm of tourists milling about Mall Road. We began the day with two full plates of chola kulcha from a vendor parked on the side of the street. And he didn't disappoint!
Next, we strolled through the bazaar, shopping for souvenirs, wall hangings, gloves, kurtas, woollen socks, sweaters, and cardigans among other things before we came across the popular Cambridge Bookshop.
The vintage bookstore was established by Laxman Das Arora of Lahore in 1952. He passed on the legacy to his son, Sunil, who currently runs the iconic bookstore.
However, the bookshop rose to popularity due to its location, which also happens to be the abode of the celebrated British-Indian author, Mr Ruskin Bond. A few years back, he used to visit the bookstore every Saturday at 4.00 pm to meet and greet his fans.
Now in his 80s, India’s beloved storyteller finds it difficult to climb down the stairs of his room on the roof let alone come down the hill. And now, you should know about his number one fan, who wished she could catch a glimpse of her favourite writer, Mr Bond. It was me!
I knew where he lived but I also knew that he doesn't appreciate fans disturbing his afternoon siesta. So, I had to find another way to meet him. It was already afternoon when we decided to visit one of the most famous cafes in Mussoorie' tiara, Landour Bakehouse in Landour, nestled 4 km east of Mr Bond’s abode.
So, when we crossed his cottage, we kind of hoped to get a glimpse of him or his family. But luck wasn't on our side. However, roaming about in the deodar forests and breathing in the fresh air of Landour did make us happy.
Landour is a sleepy cantonment area that is located a few kilometres from Mussoorie. It is known for its vintage cafes, gabled bungalows, and of course, beautiful scenery. By the time we reached Landour Bakehouse, the birds were on their way back home. The vibe of Landour seemed perfect for two writers who were mastering a plan to meet their favourite author.
Of course, the lemon honey crepe, hot chocolate, and their signature-special cookie distracted us from strategising our meet-up, but we soon returned to it. It was already evening when we got out and the walk to the hotel was a tad too long!
I couldn't resist the urge to step inside the enchanting cafe and order a few Tibetan dishes. And so we did, and thank God for that!
We realised that the cafe was adjacent to Mr Bond’s place, and I didn’t know if it was supposed to make me happy or sadder. While we were sulking over our failed plan of not being able to meet Mr Bond, I heard someone in the kitchen about sending food over to the Bonds. So, I confirmed if they were to deliver the food to Mr Bond’s place.
To my happiness, they said yes, and offered us an opportunity to get his autograph! We sent his books to get them signed. We also left a small note telling him how much he meant to us, and that he shall remain our favourite writer forever and always!
Fifteen minutes later, the delivery guy came running towards us with a paper in his hands and extended the paper, towards us. It read, “Thank you for the love. Wishing you a happy 2023. Love, Ruskin.”
The valley was starting to get cloudy and misty as we stepped out of the cafe which seemed to be made of dreams. It made our wish come true – if only halfway through. The light of one of Ruskin’s rooms was still on, and I wished I could meet him just once when someone opened the door of his cottage. His adopted son, Rakesh, came out.
I gasped because I have read several stories about him in Mr Bond’s books, especially The Cherry Tree. This time, I lost it and ran towards him like a maniac, and introduced myself. He was taken aback but soon understood that I was a crazy Ruskin fan. He told me that he’d love for me to meet Mr Bond but it was a bit late and added that Mr Bond was already in bed. He then sat on his bike and scooted away.
The twinkling lights of Dehradun left us mesmerised as we held to the hope of seeing him at least once! After a wait of ten minutes, we were walking back to Mussoorie. I kept wishing and hoping to see him on the way and turned around one last time to see the window of his room. I think I saw someone sitting by it, looking towards the lit-up valley.
I stopped as I held my breath trying to make sense of the silhouette sitting on his window but couldn't trace the identity. It looked like the shadow of Mr Bond but I wasn't sure. So, I stood under the cluster of stars, wondering if my dream almost came true. Meeting Ruskin Bond the way I want is still a dream but I know 2023 is going to be one hell of a ride because none other than Mr Ruskin Bond wished me a happy new year, And I'll make sure that’s exactly how I spend it.
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