The Whimsy Bookworm: A Book Blog from India

Dear October,  Normally, you are one of my least favourite months in the year. Mainly because in it's a hotter than hell month in Bombay.  But this October was lovely.  Durga Pujo. Lokhi Pujo.  Day trips.  Long drives in the forrest.  Family Time.  Catching up with cousins.  Eating yummy home cooked meals.  Laughing.  Wearing sweaters.  Reading has been slow, only  7 books were read but I read Those Days by Sunil Gangopadhyay which was on my TBR for ages and at over 500 pages was a tome. I am so glad I finally read it.  You've been a hoot and then some October.  You've been lovely.  & Good and kind.  Thank you October.  Come back soon.  :)  All my Love,  Pooja  Gorgeous Pandals.  I am so happy we got to spend Pujo in Bengal.  Long drives through tea garden and in the rains.  :)  ...

Book: The Clockmaker's Daughter Author: Kate Morton  Pages: 592 Read on: Kindle  Read in: Spread over 3 days  Plot Summary:  In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor in rural Berkshire. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe’s life is in ruins. Over one hundred and fifty years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist’s sketchbook containing a drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river. Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the phot...

Hello!  This was a nature and eco-awareness Pandal that we came across while pandal hopping in my small-town of Jalpaiguri.  This pandal that tried to bring awareness to the importance of protecting the environment and animal and plant life.  This pandal came with sound effects too. So freaking cool! As you walked in, you could hear jungle sounds- frogs and insects and birds. A delightful cacophony really.  :)  Frogs and mushrooms galore.  Buddha sitting peacefully amidst greenery.  Hey there buddy!  Inside the pandal.  Dugga Dugga.  A flower chandelier.  Bloom!  A busy bee.  The entrance.  A beautiful pandal with a beautiful theme.  :)  Happy Dusshera everyone, I am a little late in conveying my wishes. It's been a busy few days here in the small-town.  I went on a little road trip.  Celeb...

Hello!  Today I want to share a very favourite Pujo pandal of mine from my town Jalpaiguri. This Pujo is quite tiny in comparison to some giant pandals all over town. This one is small and always stunning. I've seen it thrice in my life and each year they out do themselves. Their pandals are always artistic and so different the other Pujos.  I love the protimaa.  The faces of all the thakurs are so cute. And the Goddesses in their red and white sarees are just too adorable.  Ah!  Now on to the simple but gorgeous decoration. All of it drenched in old school elements of Bengali culture.  These giant haath pakhas are just gorgeous!  Whenever I am in town I make it a point to visit this pandal. I have had a lovely Ashtami. We ate some delicious lunch and made a mad dash to see Byomkesh Gawtro, the newest Byomkesh Bakshi film. It was quite lovely and set in Mussoorie, it made me miss Landour so much! Th...

As we were driving towards this Pujo pandal, all of us thought this was a very eco-friendly pandal made from coir or jute.  Even as we were making our way in, we kept thinking how gorgeous this was and how coir could be turned into such a work of art. It was only a little later, when we were already inside and my father struck up a conversation with one of the organisers that we discovered that this entire pandal and it's interior decorations were all made from peanut shells and some actual peanuts!  PEANUTS!  What?!  To say that my mind was blown is an understatement!  The organiser also told us that this entire enterprise took close to 8 months.  8 months of the various artisans collecting peanuts and peanut shells and making turning it into these magnificent designs.  The only fly in this ointment is BIRDS. Apparently, since early morning, ever since the pandal was unveiled, birds have been flocking to the pandal for a quick...

Subho Shashti to you!  Today was Maha Shashti and my small town was finally all geared up for Pujo!  We headed out for some pandal hopping in the afternoon to avoid the crazy crowds.  We pretty much had the pandals to ourselves and it was nice to have the time and space to pray in peace and click pictures to my heart's content.  Here are some highlights of my day... All dipped in gold.  A nature themed Pujo pandal.  So much work and effort goes into these pandals it's incredible!  There is so much art present at these pandals too, it's a total treat.  The new trend seems to be to have a little protimaa on the side. They are so cute! I loved seeing these tiny protimaas.  Another example of a darling little protimaa.  Some gorgeous art at a pandal.  I wish they would sell these bits once Pujo was over. I'd get them all!