Mussoorie Off The Beaten Path

His name is Bond ….. Ruskin Bond. And he lives in Mussoorie. If you want to read a novel which will calm your senses, make you serene, happy And laugh like you used to during your childhood, read his novels and his short stories. They flow, they charm, they take you back in time when life was unruffled, placid, uncomplicated.

On your walk along the Mall, you’ll come across the ‘Cambridge Book Stall’. The owner is a resident of the quaint town and a knowledgeable person of the books he deals in. Most of Ruskin Bond’s novels are available here. Ask the owner about the author and request him for an autograph session. He’ll oblige.

Ruskin Bond lives at the fag end of ‘Ivy Cottage’ which also houses ‘Doma’s Inn’. At the end of the ‘fortress’, there is a steep flight of steps (coloured red). Go to the top, turn left, go past the frail wooden gate, press the bell only once and wait. Very soon, a cherubic and amiable man in his early ‘60’s will open the door, welcome you in chat with you for a while. It helps if you have read some of his novels and/or are a Literature student. He warms up then. It’s best to go to his house with an appointment. A thorough gentleman, he may not dismiss you outright but why trouble the author? Also, on a particular day of the week, he is available at the Cambridge Book Stall for an autograph session.

Address: Ivy Cottage, Landour Cantonment, Mussoorie

If visiting Mussoorie do visit Dhanolti. Breathtaking is the right word. You can see range of Himalayas fro the place. Only 25 kms from Mussoorie yet so beautiful. There is a government rest house also where you can put up. Great vegetarian food.

If you make it up to Mussoorie, just a little farther over the ridge to the north is Kempty Falls. There are the upper and lower falls, which you can walk along a series of paths and stairs. If you wish, you can even join the locals and soak in the pool at the bottom of the waterfall.

I alluded to this tip before when mentioning the Cable Car but I think it rates a mention in it's own right! The walk back down from the top station of the cable car is just fantasic. There is a rambling path that takes you down and you get great views down to 'The Mall' and ridgeline and down into the Valley. The main pic on this page is taken from a little rocky outcrop beside the trail and is one of my favourites from the whole trip too. On our way down there were a couple of little temples (mandirs) and we saw a bird of prey (some kind of eagle or kite or something) wheeling around on the thermal currents looking for dinner!