Ruskin Bond turns 83: From Room On The Roof to Adventures of Rusty, here are his most-loved books

Ruskin Bond, the man who made us fantasise about sneaking out late at night from the hostel and tip-toeing towards the hills without a worry, turns 83 today. Be it his grandmother’s pantry that was always overflowing with roasted duck and applesauce or mischievous encounters, readers devoured the words that Bond used to bring his stories to life. On his 83rd birthday, here are some of Ruskin Bond’s best works that people of all ages grew up reading.

The Room on the Roof Written in 1957, The Room on the Roof could easily be Bond’s most loved novel. The novel beautifully captures Rusty’s dissatisfaction with his guardian and fascination with the bazaar. A poignant, coming-of-age tale about friendship, grief and life, it makes for a great read_._ It happens to be Bond’s first literary venture, written at the age of 17. The novel also got him the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. The Adventures of Rusty Originally published in 1981, Ruskin Bond shares the exciting escapades he went on as a young boy with his faithful companion, Daljit. An encounter with a tiger, dodging mishaps with Uncle Ken and finally ending up in Delhi, this book has all the elements to take the reader on a whole new adventure altogether after a long, tiring day.

The Blue Umbrella The Blue Umbrella is a heart-warming story about Binya, a little girl, and her only prized possession — a blue umbrella. Written in signature Ruskin Bond style, the story deals with desire which gradually turns into uncontrollable greed and eventually,the path of redemption. The story was later adapted into a Hindi film by Vishal Bhardwaj by the same name. Set in the hills of Garhwal, the novella infuses life into simple simple, everyday characters, making them unforgettable. A Flight of Pigeons A mix of fiction and non-fiction, A Flight of Pigeons is set in 1857 and delves deep into the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and the aftermath. The narrator of the story is a British woman, Ruth Labadoor, who watches her father die and is later abducted by a Pathan. The novella explores their lives as they continue to live in an emotionally draining condition. This novella too, was made into a film called Junoon by Shyam Benegal.

The Night Train at Deoli Perfect for readers who enjoy short stories more than fat, intimidating novels, The Night Train at Deoli is a delightful collection of short stories. Escape into the hills as ordinary characters exhibit exceptional grace and courage to take you on a nostalgic trip. The book follows the conventional Ruskin Bond style of elegance and simplicity, as he creates magic on paper, once again.