Source : Hindustan Times
Ruskin Bond shares his views with HT exclusively, speaking on the evolving society and challenges at Jharkhand Literary Meet 2018.
“It’s a delight to see literature still thriving and people reading books”, said noted author Ruskin Bond at the Jharkhand literary meet on Sunday.
Interestingly, in the age of computers, the 84-year-old author who still continues to write and inspire people prefers pen over typewriters or computers. “When you write with the pen, you get involved. It’s more personal”, he said adding that typewriters and computers give him a stiff neck.
“Writing with pen is much more comfortable and words flow in. I have two old typewriters that I use to file income tax (IT) returns”, he adds.
Bond has written more than 500 short stories, essays and novels and some of those have been adapted into Bollywood blockbusters like Junoon (1978), Blue Umbrella (2005) and 7 Khoon Maaf (2011), besides 50 books that he has written for children.
He also expressed concern towards the technology-driven stiff market competitions and challenges that are pushing publishers on the rope. “The small publishers are mostly affected. Big publishing houses with great number of distributors are still in the market and facing the challenges with innovations.”
On Kindle vs books, he said the printed version has lasting impact on the reader’s mind. “Books even have an edge over e-versions for the authors in terms of royalty payment. I get more royalty when I write books,” he told HT with a smile.
Driving down to the hotel where he was staying, Bond said Ranchi resembles Dehradun in many ways. On visiting Jharkhand for the first time, he shares, “My maternal grandmother used to come here to meet her friends and I know this place through her only.”
Averse of political writing, he said “It may land you into trouble. I would prefer to write on magic and ghost stories instead.”
Bond who started with romantic novels in his early twenties said that now he likes to write on magic and ghosts. “It’s amazing to dwell in the world of fantasy and fear. Sometimes good stories are created while documenting dreams”, he said.
Bond who had difficult childhood after his parents got divorced said, “Unhappy and unsettled childhood helps in writing. Books guide in forming child’s imagination. Be careful while writing for them, don’t implant wrong ideas in their head,” he told the audience earlier.”
For the budding writers, he suggested, “Respect the language in which you write. Be kind, develop good vocabulary and be creative in writing beautiful sentences. Your prose should be your poetry when you write.”
Summing up, he said that a writer shouldn’t be complacent but aim for perfection to make things better in the society. “Writers don’t get pension or PF. They don’t retire,” he said.
Hindi Authors Uday Prakash, Ashutosh Chaturvedi, Hussein Haidary, Satya Vyas, Nilotpal Mrinal, Alok Rai, Mahadev Toppo, Rakshanda Jalil, Sanhay Sahay, Vinoy Bhushan, Moloy Roy, Abdullah Khan (with their debut novels), Harivansh, Chandramohan Kisku, Anuj Lugun, Mohua Maji were among others who participated in various sessions.
Singer Rekha Bhardwaj enthralled the audience on Saturday with her beautiful voice.
Sponsored by Tata Steel, the second literary meet in Jharkhand concluded on an encouraging note on Sunday with singer Vidya Shah and Sayema’s presentation on noted ghazal singer Begum Akhtar.
Singer Rekha Bhardwaj enthralled the audience on Saturday. It was attended by large number of people from different walks of life, students in particular.
