To Rusty, With Love
Dear Rusty/Mr. Ruskin Bond,
I think I was ten years old when I first met you in between the pages of a book. I couldn't get enough of Rusty, his family, his friends, his allies and all the animals so I gobbled up many of your stories in a short time. As a result, I don't remember which book it was where I first met Rusty. I am eighteen now and live in Coimbatore and your stories reveal new colours every time I revisit them.
Since my dad was in the army (like yours was in the RAF), we shifted to a different place with him every two years. While this was certainly fun, it was difficult for me to make new friends. Your books not only gave me company but also resonated with my life. I found that the events in Rusty's life mirrored mine - he had to keep shifting too due to various reasons and sometimes against his wishes. He had to move away from people and places but he managed to find his peace of mind. He helped me do the same.
I know that you passed your mathematics exam because Mr. Oliver gave you grace marks. But please bear with some math here as I tell you how much you have been part of me. I learnt to read stories when I was about five which means that I have been reading for thirteen years. We got introduced eight years ago when I was ten. So, I have spent more than half of my reading years with Rusty and his allies! And this is just as of now. Your stories will accompany me throughout my life.
Rusty and I learnt a lot about trees and wildlife from his grandfather. Those stories offer so much knowledge and change mindsets without preaching. Your books encompass environmental themes ranging from adorable animals to natural resource depletion and disasters. I was drawn more towards the natural world through your stories. So much so that I decided that it had to be my calling - I'm going to take up BTech Energy and Environmental Engineering!
I wrote an article titled 'The Subtle Environmentalism in Ruskin Bond's Stories' highlighting the environmental aspect of your stories, which just got published in the Current Conservation magazine. I would be really glad if you read it! P.S.: I had wanted the title to be 'Rusty, Renewable Energy and Rural India'. Seeing Rusty write about various things motivated me to do so too. 🙂
I have tried to tell you, through this email, how greatly your words have enriched my life. And I can't thank you enough for that!
Wishing you good health and happiness and looking forward to more from you!
Thanking you,
Yours affectionately,
Yazhini
***
More so after I saw that he dedicated The Ruskin Bond Children's Omnibus to "the hundreds of readers, young and old," who had written him "such kind letters over the years..."
Over the years, I kept telling myself that I'd write it a little later, after the exams, or when we've shifted to the next place.
I never turned down an opportunity to read his books though!
Last year, when I was done with all my school exams and bored to death, I paid Rusty a visit.
Then I thought maybe I should write about him.
So I did. I am grateful to Current Conservation for publishing it on their website under the "Bookshelf" category.
You can read that article of mine here (also mentioned above).
Still, I wanted to write a letter to Ruskin Bond.
Thinking that sending him a physical letter during the pandemic isn't safe, I sent him an email.
That is what you just read!
