I was unable to hear the voice on the other side of the call on my mobile phone. So, I leaned a bit out of my window, hoping it would improve clarity. And in a flash, the phone fell from my hand!” chuckled Ruskin Bond, while reminiscing about his misadventures with technology. Nearly a decade ago, I had the opportunity to interview the iconic writer about his then-recent book release in his Himalayan-ensconced Landour home. That was the agenda. What transpired, thankfully, was an organic chat about all things books, and the art of being inspired by the mundane, simple things around us.

It was a chilly December. By late afternoon, when I had made my way to “Ruskin Bond ka ghar,” as the locals refer to it, welcoming sunlight had bathed the entire valley that overlooked his home. ‘Inspiration is everywhere,’ I made a mental note after navigating a scenic albeit vertigo-inducing winding road.