The story of the Ganges, from her source to the sea, from old times to new, is the story of India's civilization and culture, of the rise and fall of empires, of great and proud cities, of adventures of man...’ — Jawaharlal Nehru. The Ganges is a river which has held India's heart captive and drawn uncounted millions to her banks since the dawn of history. Originating in the mist-filled valleys of the Garhwal Himalayas – a land of dense forests, icy white glaciers, clear gurgling streams and towering mountains— a land which has been known as `Dev Bhoomi’ or the land of gods, the Ganga traverses hundreds of miles through the heartland till it flows into the sea. In this travel memoir, noted writer Ruskin Bond captures the breathtaking beauty and splendour of this magical landscape, describing with nostalgia and affection the places and people he has lived with and encountered for over forty years.
Born in May 19th 1934 in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, Ruskin Bond is an Indian author of British descent. Bond went to school in Shimla and stayed in Dehradun, Jamnagar, Mussourie and London, before making Landour, Uttranchal his home in 1960’s.
Ruskin Bond’s writing career started when he was all of 17 and wrote his first novel, The Room on the Roof. The novel was based on his life in Dehradun where he lived in a small rented room and his friends. Since then the social, historical influences in the hills around him have been inspiration. His works are especially popular with children and young adults and he has written over three hundred short stories, essays and novellas and more than 30 books. He has also published two volumes of autobiography. Scenes from a Writer's Life, which describes his formative years growing up in Anglo-India, and The Lamp is Lit, a collection of essays and episodes from his journal.
His stories The Blue Umbrella and The Flight of Pigeons have been adapted into films. It is rumoured that Bond will also pen Vishal Bharadwaj's new film, 'The Seven husbands'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruskin_Bond 
