Ruskin Bond spills the beans on love, life and more at Jaipur Literature Festival

Ruskin Bond, "the gentle dreamer of the Garhwal hills", filled the atmosphere with the warmth of his conversation on the first day of Jaipur Literature Festival 2016.  The session encapsulated the life of the beloved author, from his schoolboy antics to his struggles as a blooming writer and his lifelong communion with nature. With a twinkle of mischief on the octogenarian's face, the session had an equal measure of light moments and contemplative musings, with an audience of all ages hanging onto every word of the writer.

Here are some vignettes from the enthralling session:

On childhood mischief

"Don't run away from school, make your teachers run away."

Bond remarked how he still hasn't received his character certificate from school because of his notorious ridiculing of a schoolteacher and advised that before running away from school, one must make sure they have enough pocket money.

On his first kiss

"She'd remember me missing the kiss!

"The author recounted the mortifying moment of the first time he tried to kiss a girl and instead ended up faltering and missing her face, inciting laughter from a captivated audience.

On wanting to become a writer

"My mom said, 'Don't be silly, go and join the army!'"

Bond spoke of the unconventionality of his professional choice and his mother's reaction when he told her that he wanted to become a writer. Remembering his subsequent years in England, he narrated how The Room on the Roof was a product of his nostalgia for India, and how his 50 pound advance for the book helped him pay for his ship ride back home.

On finding his book in a bookstore

"The bookseller told me, 'Yeh nahi chalta!'"

A young Ruskin pulled his book from below the bestsellers to prominently display it in a bookstore. However, the bookseller caught him and put it back. To prove a point, Bond bought the book himself.

On nature

"The natural world is constantly changing around you, and yet it doesn't change."

Bond praised the variety and beauty in nature that serve as permanent solace for him throughout his life.