In his 89th year, Ruskin Bond continues to enchant readers with his gentle wisdom and keen observations in “Another Day in Landour: Looking Out from My Window.” This journal, spanning from July 2022 to July 2023, offers an intimate glimpse into the author’s daily life at Ivy Cottage in Landour, where he has lived since 1980. As India’s most beloved storyteller approaches his ninth decade, he invites us to share his window on the world—a perspective that transforms the ordinary into something quietly extraordinary.
The Window as Witness and Collaborator
“Can a window give you stories and poems and essays and memories over a period of many years?” Bond asks in his preface. For him, the answer is a resounding yes. His bedroom window has been “at the heart of [his] writing” for over four decades, opening onto “sky, clouds, sunshine and rain, all the things that keep us alive.” This window becomes more than a mere architectural feature—it’s a character in its own right, a faithful companion through the changing seasons of Bond’s life.
The journal begins with his charming tradition of noting a “Flower of the Day,” often accompanied by its significance in flower-lore or personal meaning. From the “always lovely” Indian Pink to the humble bean flower (which poet John Clare likened to his love), Bond finds beauty in both the spectacular and the commonplace. These botanical observations set the tone for a journal that celebrates life’s small pleasures while acknowledging its inevitable pains.
Seasons of Life and Nature
Bond’s entries follow the rhythms of the natural world. In monsoon season, he describes ferns flourishing “everywhere, even on the trunks of the oaks and deodars,” while winter brings “prowling panthers.” The changing weather mirrors his own physical challenges—gout in his writing hand, difficulty walking, failing eyesight—yet he remains resolutely appreciative of life’s continuing gifts:
“After the age of eighty, every day is a bonus.
So, savour the moment, make it count.”
His descriptive powers shine when capturing dawn breaking over the mountains: “the eastern sky glows red, then bright orange, then apricot, all merging into daylight.” Such moments remind us why Bond has long been considered one of India’s finest nature writers—he sees with clarity and describes with elegant simplicity.
The Writer’s Life at 88
Despite physical ailments, Bond’s creative output remains impressive. He mentions finishing stories like “The Girl on the Rock” and “The Night Has a Thousand Eyes,” receiving fan mail (including one who remembered only that his book “had a blue cover”), and celebrating his success as Amazon’s Author of the Month. His wry humor appears when he notes: “Amazon has named me its Author of the Month for November. So I’m not a has-been just yet, though some would like me to be one.”
The journal reveals Bond’s writing process and philosophy. When confronted with writer’s block, he looks out his window for inspiration. Even on foggy days when “the road, the mountains, the valley, all gone,” he finds material in a small skink hiding in a rubber plant, turning it into a nonsense verse. His dedication to his craft is unwavering: “Seventy years of writing has damaged my sword-hand,” he writes, yet he persists.
Family, Friendship, and Feline Companions
Bond’s journal paints a warm portrait of his household at Ivy Cottage. We meet Beena and Rakesh (who help him up the “most tortuous flight of steps in all of Landour”), their children Siddharth, Shrishti, and Gautam, and the house cats Mimi and Bat-cat, whose territorial disputes and reconciliations provide ongoing entertainment.
These family members sustain him physically and emotionally. After noting his gratitude for their help, he reflects: “Living alone is fine when you are young, but as the years go by, the whole business of living takes its toll on the body, if not the mind, and it becomes increasingly difficult to manage without some help.” His appreciation for his family’s care is evident throughout the journal.
Philosophical Reflections
Bond’s entries often expand from specific observations to broader reflections on human nature, history, and mortality. After noting how the hill station of Mussoorie has remained isolated from surrounding villages despite its two-hundred-year existence, he calls it “truly an excrescence.” When reporting on global disasters (the collapse of a bridge in Gujarat, fatal crowd crushes in South Korea), he muses: “Life isn’t about rewards and punishments, it’s about consequences.”
His thoughts on hatred are particularly insightful. He observes how bitterness poisons both body and soul, contrasting bitter acquaintances who died alone with cheerful ones who thrived despite hardship. With characteristic humility, he admits his own youthful temper while noting how age has tempered his reactions.
Shortcomings: Repetition and Occasional Superficiality
While Bond’s observations are generally perceptive, some entries feel repetitive or underdeveloped. The journal occasionally meanders, with some entries consisting of just a line or two. His commentary on world events sometimes lacks depth, as when he oversimplifies complex political situations or makes sweeping generalizations about human behavior.
The book’s format—daily entries of varying length—naturally leads to some unevenness. Certain topics appear repeatedly (his gout, the weather, visitors) without significant new insight. Some readers might wish for more sustained exploration of the philosophical questions he raises.
A Window Worth Looking Through
Despite these minor flaws, “Another Day in Landour” offers genuine rewards to patient readers. Bond’s unpretentious wisdom, gentle humor, and unfailing kindness shine through even the briefest entries. His perspective—informed by nearly nine decades of observation—provides a refreshing antidote to our culture’s frenetic pace and obsession with novelty.
This journal follows in the tradition of Bond’s earlier autobiographical works like “Scenes from a Writer’s Life” and “Lone Fox Dancing,” but focuses more intimately on the present moment rather than past adventures. Fans of other nature diarists like Thoreau or Gilbert White will appreciate Bond’s attention to seasonal changes and local flora and fauna, while those seeking philosophical reflection will find kinship with his musings on time, memory, and meaning.
Final Thoughts: Life Observed and Treasured
Bond ends his journal where he began—celebrating the window that has witnessed so much of his life and work. In his final entry, he encourages readers to follow his example:
“Read a little, write a little. Listen to music. Take a short walk. And if walking is difficult, go for a drive.
If you can’t do that, open the window and look at the birds, the trees, the cats, the dogs, the mules, the monkeys… look at the people, no two of them the same.”
This is Bond at his best—offering simple yet profound advice for finding joy in the everyday. “Another Day in Landour” is not just a record of one man’s days; it’s an invitation to look more closely at our own lives, to find beauty in small things, and to cultivate gratitude for the time we’re given.
As the 88-year-old Bond continues writing with undiminished enthusiasm, he demonstrates that creativity and curiosity need not diminish with age. His window remains open, and through it, we glimpse not just the mountains of Landour but the landscape of a remarkable life still being lived to its fullest.
For Fans of Observational Writing
Readers who enjoy “Another Day in Landour” might also appreciate:
- Bond’s earlier memoir “Lone Fox Dancing” for a more comprehensive life story
- “The Room on the Roof,” his first novel written at seventeen
- Nature journals like Annie Dillard’s “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” or May Sarton’s “Journal of a Solitude”
- Other Indian writers of place such as Amitav Ghosh or Anita Desai
This journal stands as a worthy addition to Bond’s extensive bibliography—a gentle reminder that even in our twilight years, each day brings new wonders to those patient enough to observe them.
