Ruskin Bond, the esteemed author, celebrated his 90th birthday on Sunday, and he shared an amusing anecdote with the Press Trust of India (PTI). Bond described an unexpected encounter at the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha, where, despite being an Indian citizen, he was charged an extra price by temple officials who mistook him for a foreigner based on his appearance. This incident spurred social media conversations about how visitors to heritage sites are treated.
Bond, known for his enormous contributions to Indian literature, particularly children’s literature and stories set in the Indian Himalayas, was surprised to be asked to pay an additional fee at the Konark Sun Temple just because he ‘looked like a foreigner.’ Despite his efforts to clarify his nationality, he ultimately paid the additional money to prevent further debate. Bond was born to British parents in India in 1934 and has spent the majority of his life there, holding Indian citizenship.
Bond also mentioned an example in which a man with a British passport who did not ‘look like a foreigner,’ was not charged an additional fee. This incident has called attention to the policies and practices of Indian tourist destinations, sparking debate about fairness and the need for clear guidelines to avoid similar misunderstandings.
Social media users expressed dissatisfaction with the discriminatory policy of charging foreigners more, underlining the need for change. Furthermore, many people wished Bond a happy birthday, recognizing his contributions to Indian writing and admiring his work. The interview video has received tremendous attention on X, with 313.2K views. Furthermore, the article includes follow-up threads in which Bond addresses his lifelong bachelorhood, his desire to pursue a writing career, and his unique bond with his admirers.
