Ghoomophiro- A unique travel book

Being a traveller and a travel blogger, I have often thought about penning down my tales in a book. Himadri Garg is a traveller who actually did what I only thought about with her book “Ghoomophiro”.

“Ghoomophiro- Travel bringing families together” is the most interesting travel book I have read. It is not just about travel adventures or travel experiences but how travel can instil life in people or bring them together. The book is set in near future where people are so obsessed with technology and gadgets that they don’t take out time to enjoy the pleasures of real life. Moreover, since it is set in a dystopian world, the book talks deeply about how travelling transforms you.

But the entire book is not written in a lecture sort of way, giving tips and tricks or telling you Dos and Donts. Instead the narrative is that of an old story-teller. The book starts from Kumar Niwas which is like a museum for old relics. It has photographs, souvenirs and memories of all the places which no longer exist. The house itself is vibrant and just as alive as the people living in it.

Ghoomophiro is the story of Nitika and Kritika who are avid travellers and also sisters. The tale resembles the life of the author “Himadri Garg” who also travels with her sister “Prachi Garg”. The novel is based on a family trip where the entire family discusses their travel tales and how those exciting stories brings them together.

The writing of the book is quite vivid in its descriptions and exciting to read about. To a reader, it is like being on those travel adventures yourself and for a traveller, it is like a nostalgic recollection of all that one experiences while travelling. The book is much needed in today’s time because with technology slowly taking over the world, very few of us actually spend time with our families or travel without a purpose. By that I mean, without having to attend a meeting or having a specific task in mind for a place. Travelling is more about enjoying the journey one undertakes and the memories one keeps of the journey.

Nitika and Kritika have travelled together for 25 years without breaking their annual tradition. But this time, they choose to go on the trip with their family. They travel to an island to detach from screens and understand the allure of travel.

I adored the recollections of the sisters regarding their previous travels. It was beautifully detailed and flawlessly written. Only someone who had first-hand experiences of such places could write like that. No amount of research can bring that richness in writing like actual travel can. Another aspect of this book that I liked was how it stressed on being cautious while travelling. Cautious not for your own self, but also for the environment. When travellers litter a place, they damage the environment. It might not seem like it in the short-run but in long run it has hazardous effects.

So I really liked this book because it had meaning, purpose and moreover it was really well-written. It is an easy-read and anyone can pick it for some leisure reading. This book is sure to inspire people to start travelling and perhaps, even take their family along.

The characters are written in a relatable way so it doesn’t matter if you end up liking them or not, you will relate with them. The plot does not let your attention waver for long and what this book lacks in pace, it makes up for in writing.

Overall, I would give this book 4/5 stars rating.