“The sun climbs high in the sky, then starts down. People come, then go. The time breezes by. That’s like a picnic, isn’t it?”
– A Wild Sheep Chase, Murakami
A beautiful morning. I always thought beginnings were slow and a bit “do it at our own pace” kinda thing. But today gently corrected me.
There was movement even in stillness. The sun warmed my face, a quiet contrast to the cold wind brushing past, like two opposites meeting without conflict. We were there sitting, mesmerized by birds and water, silently waiting for the sun to finally show his face. This thought kept running through my mind while we were doing the reading part…that each of us held a different book, yet we were together just like the lake holding countless species of birds; distinct, separate, yet sharing the same sky. I left feeling lighter, without knowing exactly why. It was refreshing 😌
Thank you so much PDBC for arranging this picnic ✨
And Mansi gave me two cute, beautiful wildflowers, just like her, that are now decorating Samir’s car🌼🙃 (coz I forgot🥲)
And also Nija, your pen is enjoying my company 😆
– Dr. Noopur
थोल लेक, फ़रवरी २०२६
शिशिर का उगता हुआ सूरज,
और झील का खूबसूरत किनारा,
अनगिनत परिन्दों से भरा आसमान
और उन्ही की आवाज़ो से सज़ा एक नज़ारा ।
कुछ परिचित-अपरिचित लोगों का साथ,
चाय कॉफ़ी और क़िताबों का सहारा,
किस्से, कहानियाँ और कुछ कविताएँ,
बदलते रंगो से मन खयालों से भर जाना ।
यह पंछी रोज़ क्या बतियाते होंगे?
कुछ मन में भी रखते होंगे या सब बतलाते होंगे?
आनेवाले कल के होंगे ख़याल
या बीते कल का मलाल जताते होंगे?
फिर हँसी यह सोच के कि
यह तो है सब अपनी झंझाल,
ना बीते कल की समझ
ना आने वाले कल पे कमान ।
पंछियों ने तो बस
अपने पंख फैलाए है,
बनाया है ख़ुद का एक आसमान
और ख़ुद के ही कारवाँ सझाये है ।
– निजा के निज से उभरा हुआ एक मौसम
Exams , tension aur naye sheher ke beech I found this club and Priya.
Never expressed but it felt like I belonged . Thank you so much haar baath mei haq se daatne k liye.
Chirag, mere ko agar is janam me thodi bhi coffee achi lagi hai, it is because of the “Barista of PDBC”.
Thol Reading 📚 edition was just so perfect weekend escape that was needed. I guess we all need this break to get back to reading the book that is sometimes lying in the cupboard half read because life come up.
Grateful to meet all the peopleee today .✨
Hope to meet everyone in another edition
– Mansi
Saal mai ek-do baar aati hu par I make sure to make it count. And it is all worth it. Busy bhagam bhag life me se jo break hai, that is PDBC. Every time I come, I get to meet new people and get to know about new books and stories. Today was one such day. Haven’t slept in three days straight and kal raat bhi late ho gayi thi sone me and yet I made sure to not miss this morning. And it was all worth it.
Hoping to be regular henceforth 🌸
– Dhwani
Thol
Journey started before sunrise,
low aqi wali thandi havayein,
Orange hued Sunrise with bird’s chirping and lakeview,
Picnic vibes with chai and royal feast with persistent uninvited guest Dogeshbhai,
Randomly started convo with Anupam and Nija, from knowing about him to how he ends up working in school now and Nija ji talking about last year’s thol meet 🏞
We setup mats and sat in half midnight lights and started observing the nature and birds around us…
Eyes closed and lost in wonderland to hear words of nature and energetic book edition with many interesting books and people 💜
What a perfect closure to beautiful morning with Chai and UNO at cozy cafe #JoyofLife
– Ronak
Hi, Janvi here.
Newest member of the pocket diary book club.
I had a lovely morning today thanks to all of you, especially P&C, who, I assume, are curators of the club. Waking up early – not my thing, Going this far from my home without procrastination- not my thing, getting a ride from a complete stranger at 4:30 am- totally not my thing.
Ankit, thank you so much for the ride. I wanted to go to Thol since so long, and today (to-morning!) I finally visited this Instagram obsession, I met new people and increased the number of my mental-tbr-pile. Got some beautiful recommendations, saw someone reading a book which I adored ( the forty rules of love ).
Looking forward to join next edition! 🫶😇
– You Know Who
Ab aur kya likhu? Ye thandi subah, ek kahani thi, jisme 19 log the, hatho me garam chai coffee ke chote bade cup the, aur har nazar aasmaan ko badi tadap se ghoor rahi thi, jaise sadiyo ki bhooki ho, bina saans liye sookhe pedo wali galiyo se nikal kar achanak, pani aur pedo wale ghane oasis me aa gaye ho, vaisa hi kuch tha, har aankh me, har udte panchi ko dekh kar khush ho rahi muskaan me…
pooch rahe the jaise… ki kaha ja rahe ho? fir kab vapas miloge? agle saal jarur aana… mai aaun ya na par tum yaha jarur aana… jaha jaha ke aasmaan me tum udte ho, vaha vaha ke logo ki kahaniyan lekar vapas aana…
In logo me, ek dosti thi, is subah me, ek sukoon tha, aur kuch kitaabein to thi hi, sun ne sunane ko, bas… fir chale hum vapas, par raaste me, ek aur cup chai sath pi li.
– Priya
8.2.26 dawn
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