Diwali celebrations at Wellington City Libraries

“Let each diya you light bring a glow of happiness on your face and enlighten your soul.”
Happy Diwali!

Diwali the Hindu festival of lights symbolizes the spiritual victory of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and light over dark and is celebrated during the Hindu Luna month Kartika (between mid-October and mid-November) and traditionally takes place over five days with each day having its own associated rituals and ceremonies.

The first day of Diwali involves cleaning and decorating of homes and workplaces often using diyas small earthen oil-filled lamps and also the creation of rangoli; colourful designs made from rice flour, flower petals, coloured sand, quartz powder.

Day two is a day of ritual and prayer and is also used for purchasing of food especially sweets specially made for the festival which are later given as gifts.

Day three is the main day of the festival when homes, temples and rivers are aglow with light. The youngest members of the family visit their elders, and in the evening, people dress in their finest clothes, feast and pray, visit temples, families and sacred places, light lamps and diyas are set adrift on rivers and streams.

Day four celebrates the bond between the wife and husband and in some regions of India husbands will give gifts to their wives.

On the fifth and final day the sister-brother bond is celebrated.

We are celebrating Diwali this year in the libraries in many ways including….

  • From November 2nd our pre-school storytimes will be special Diwali storytimes! At Kilbirnie and Newtown there will also be craft activities afterwards.
  • On Saturday November 7 @ Newtown Library from 10am-4pm we have a live Rangoli being created by artist Jyoti Gosavi.
  • Also have Social Saturday craft for children and adults – bring the family! 2-3pm.

And we have a specially curated range of books, films and music that celebrate the richness of Indian culture below are just a few of our picks. We have a extensive range of great Indian literature in our collections for you to enjoy. These are just a few of the items we hold.


Anita and me / Syal, Meera
“The debut novel from the award-winning screenwriter of Bhaji on the Beach. The story of nine-year-old Meena, growing up in the only Punjabi family in the Black Country mining village of Tollington. This novel is based on the author’s own childhood, growing up in the ’60s as part of the only coloured family living in a Wolverhampton mining village. As in her films, it is filled with warmth, good humour and eccentric characters.” (Catalogue)

The god of small things / Roy, Arundhati
“Set against a background of political turbulence in Kerala, Southern India, ‘The God of Small Things’ tells the story of twins Esthappen and Rahel. Amongst the vats of banana jam and heaps of peppercorns in their grandmother’s factory, they try to craft a childhood for themselves amidst what constitutes their family – their lonely, lovely mother, their beloved Uncle Chacko (pickle baron, radical Marxist and bottom-pincher) and their avowed enemy Baby Kochamma (ex-nun and incumbent grand-aunt). ” (Catalogue)

A suitable boy : a novel / Seth, Vikram
” The classic Number One bestseller from award-winning author Vikram Seth is one of the longest single volume novels ever published .The book follows the fortunes of four Indian families over the course of eighteen months . The novel commences in the fictional town of Brahmpur and is rich in detail and surrounding stories The sequel provisionally titles A Suitable Girl was due to be published in 2017 but as of 2020 is still unpublished ” (Catalogue)


The sweet-vendor / Narayan, R. K.
” The Vendor of Sweets is a fictionalised biography of a sweet vendor in the fictional Indian town of Malgudi. Jagan the main character is a humble , honest and hardworking character . His obsession with his son Mali gradually spoils him and eventually Mali leaves for America with grand schemes which eventually unravel.” ( Adapted from catalogue)

The white tiger / Adiga, Aravind
“Set in a raw and unromanticized India, The White Tiger-the first-person confession of a murderer-is as compelling for its subject matter as it is for the voice of its narrator: amoral, cynical, unrepentant, yet deeply endearing. Balram Halwai is a complicated man. Servant. Philosopher. Entrepreneur. Murderer. Over the course of seven nights, by the scattered light of a preposterous chandelier, Balram tells us the terrible and transfixing story of how he came to be a success in life – having nothing but his own wits to help him along.”” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The guide / Narayan, R. K.
“Formerly India’s most corrupt tourist guide, Raju–just released from prison–seeks refuge in an abandoned temple. Mistaken for a holy man, he plays the part and succeeds so well that God himself intervenes to put Raju’s newfound sanctity to the test. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Fasting, feasting / Desai, Anita
“Tells the moving story of Uma, the plain older daughter of an Indian family, tied to the household of her childhood and tending to her parents’ every extravagant demand, and of her younger brother, Arun, across the world in Massachusetts, bewildered by his new life in college and the suburbs, where he lives with the Patton family. From the heart of a close-knit Indian household to the cool centre of an American family, this novel examines a surfeit of feasting and Indian family life, and the self-denial and starving of affluent American women in the land of plenty.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Pather panchali
“Pather panchali is set in rural India and is part part of the classic Apu trilogy of films which are frequently listed among the greatest films of all time. The film begins when a young daughter is caught stealing food for a frail grandmother, the birth of Apu brings joy and hope to the struggling family until the prodigal son endures extreme tragedy in the wake of a destructive monsoon.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Our Exclusive Q and A with Ben Aaronovitch

This is your brain on magic.

Ben Aaronovitch

We recently approached international bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch about the possibility of doing a Q and A, very much expecting a polite ‘no’ in response. So when he kindly agreed, we were thrilled!

Thinking about how best to compile some really good questions for Ben, the answer was obvious: we would ask our library patrons to send in their questions for Ben. The questions we received ranged widely — from enquiries about the Rivers of London series, to examples of how to do research, to experiences writing for Doctor Who.

So, below we now present our interview with Ben Aaronovitch. In our opinion, he was hugely entertaining, insightful and really funny to interview and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We wish to extend our most heartfelt thanks to Ben, and of course to our users for supplying the questions. Enjoy!


False value / Aaronovitch, Ben
“Peter Grant is facing fatherhood, and an uncertain future, with equal amounts of panic and enthusiasm. Rather than sit around, he takes a job with émigré Silicon Valley tech genius Terrence Skinner’s brand new London start up – the Serious Cybernetics Company. Drawn into the orbit of Old Street’s famous “silicon roundabout”, Peter must learn how to blend in with people who are both civilians and geekier than he is. Compared to his last job, Peter thinks it should be a doddle. But magic is not finished with Mama Grant’s favourite son.” (Catalogue)

The October man / Aaronovitch, Ben
“If you thought magic was confined to one country-think again. Trier: famous for wine, Romans, and being Germany’s oldest city. When a man is found dead with his body impossibly covered in a fungal rot, the local authorities know they are out of their depth. But fortunately this is Germany, where there are procedures for everything. Enter Tobias Winter, an investigator for the Abteilung KDA, the branch of the German Federal Criminal Police which handles the supernatural.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Rivers of London [3] : black mould / Aaronovitch, Ben
“Something dark and slimy is dripping through the walls of suburban London. Not the usual stuff that smells funny and can be hell on the lungs, this mould is possessed by some dark power full of bad intentions. Looks like it’s another case for London’s one and only trainee wizard cop, Police Constable Peter Grant, and his reluctant partner, Sahra Guleed.  Black Mould ties directly into the Rivers of London continuity, set between Foxglove Summer and The Hanging Tree.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Overdrive cover Remembrance of the Daleks, Ben Aaronovitch (ebook)
“With unfinished business to attend to, the Seventh Doctor returns to where it all began: Coal Hill School in 1963. Last time he was here, the Doctor left something behind – a powerful Time Lord artefact that could unlock the secrets of time travel. Can the Doctor retrieve it before two rival factions of Daleks track it down? And even if he can, how will the Doctor prevent the whole of London becoming a war zone as the Daleks meet in explosive confrontation?” (Adapted from Overdrive description)

For more information on Ben Aaronovitch’s books visit his website. And again, a big thank you to Ben!

Everything Ben Aaronovitch on our Catalogue

Have you ever wanted to write for Doctor Who and want to know how?

  • Have you ever wanted to write for Doctor Who and want to know how ?
  • Would you like to know about the process for writing for television ?

Well here is your chance.

As well as being the internationally bestselling author of Rivers of London series of books and graphic novels, the multitalented Ben Aaronvitch is also a scriptwriter for both Television and radio.

Ben has written for Casualty, Jupiter Moon, Blakes 7 and the longest running Science fiction series in the world Doctor Who. Indeed his first ever script for television was for Doctor Who. Remembrance of the Daleks: the first story in Doctor Who‘s twenty-fifth anniversary season.

Ben will be doing a very special online question and answer event for us in October and we need questions.

So if you’ve ever wanted to ask Ben Aaronovitch a question, now’s your chance!

Simply send us your questions via FacebookTwitterInstagram or email before the end of September and we’ll do our best to ask them during the event.

Overdrive cover Remembrance of the Daleks, Ben Aaronovitch (ebook)
“With unfinished business to attend to, the Seventh Doctor returns to where it all began: Coal Hill School in London in 1963. Last time he was here, the Doctor left something behind – a powerful Time Lord artefact that could unlock the secrets of time travel. Can the Doctor retrieve it before two rival factions of Daleks track it down? And even if he can, how will the Doctor prevent the whole of London becoming a war zone as the Daleks meet in explosive confrontation?” (Adapted from Overdrive description)

Rivers of London [3] : black mould / Aaronovitch, Ben
“Something dark and slimy is dripping through the walls of suburban London. Not the usual stuff that smells funny and can be hell on the lungs, this mould is possessed by some dark power full of bad intentions. Looks like it’s another case for London’s one and only trainee wizard cop, Police Constable Peter Grant, and his reluctant partner, Sahra Guleed, set between Foxglove Summer and The Hanging Tree Aaronovitch is joined by Doctor Who writer Andrew Cartmel for this gripping new series.” (Adapted from Catalogue) Also available as an eBook.

Ask Ben Aaronovitch a Question!

We are very excited to announce that in October we will be doing a pre-recorded Question and Answer online event with the international bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch–and we need your help with the questions!

Ben Aaronovitch is one of the most popular science fiction and fantasy writers in the world today. His Rivers of London series has been translated into 14 languages worldwide, with every one of the novels becoming a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller. Ben has been a screenwriter for Doctor Who, Casualty and has written spin-off novels for Doctor Who and Blake 7. His work has even been adapted into a fantastic graphic novel series.

So if you’ve ever wanted to ask Ben Aaronovitch a question, now’s your chance!

Simply send us your questions via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or email and we’ll do our best to ask them during the event. And in the meantime, check out the selection of Ben’s work we have available to borrow throughout our libraries. Enjoy!

False value / Aaronovitch, Ben
“Peter Grant is facing fatherhood, and an uncertain future, with equal amounts of panic and enthusiasm. Rather than sit around, he takes a job with émigré Silicon Valley tech genius Terrence Skinner’s brand new London start up – the Serious Cybernetics Company. Drawn into the orbit of Old Street’s famous “silicon roundabout”, Peter must learn how to blend in with people who are both civilians and geekier than he is. But magic is not finished with Mama Grant’s favourite son.” (Adapted from  Catalogue)

The October man / Aaronovitch, Ben
“When a man is found dead with his body impossibly covered in a fungal rot, the local authorities know they are out of their depth. But fortunately this is Germany, where there are procedures for everything.Enter Tobias Winter, an investigator for the Abteilung KDA, the branch of the German Federal Criminal Police which handles the supernatural. His aim is to get in, deal with the problem, and get out with the minimum of fuss, personal danger, and paperwork.” (Catalogue)

Foxglove summer / Aaronovitch, Ben
“Ben Aaronovitch takes Peter Grant out of whatever comfort zone he might have found and takes him out of London – to a small village in Herefordshire where the local police are reluctant to admit that there might be a supernatural element to the disappearance of some local children. But while you can take the London copper out of London you can’t take the London out of the copper. Peter soon finds himself caught up in a deep mystery and having to tackle local cops and local gods.” (Catalogue). Also available as an Audiobook. 

The furthest station / Aaronovitch, Ben
” Traumatised travellers have been reporting strange encounters on their morning commute, with strangely dressed people trying to deliver an urgent message. Stranger still, despite calling the police themselves, within a few minutes the commuters have already forgotten the encounter – making the follow up interviews rather difficult. So with a little help from Abigail and Toby the ghost hunting dog, Peter and Jaget are heading out on a ghost hunting expedition…” (Catalogue)

Lies sleeping / Aaronovitch, Ben
“The Faceless Man, wanted for multiple counts of murder, fraud, and crimes against humanity, is on the run. Peter Grant, Detective Constable and apprentice wizard, now plays a key role in an unprecedented joint operation to bring him to justice. But even as the unwieldy might of the Metropolitan Police bears down on its foe, Peter uncovers clues that the Faceless Man, far from being finished, is executing the final stages of a long term plan.” (Catalogue)

The hanging tree / Aaronovitch, Ben
“Suspicious deaths are not usually the concern of Police Constable Peter Grant or the Folly–London’s police department for supernatural cases–even when they happen at an exclusive party in one of the flats of the most expensive apartment blocks in London. But the daughter of Lady Ty, influential goddess of the Tyburn river, was there, and Peter owes Lady Ty a favor. Plunged into the alien world of the super-rich, a sensible young copper would keep his head down. But this is Peter Grant we’re talking about.” (Catalogue)

Rivers of London [1] : body work / Aaronovitch, Ben
“Peter Grant, having become the first English apprentice wizard in fifty years, must immediately deal with two different but ultimately inter-related cases. In one he must find what is possessing ordinary people and turning them into vicious killers, and in the second he must broker a peace between the two warring gods of the River Thames.  The graphic novel is based on the bestselling novel “Rivers of London.” (Catalogue)

Rivers of London [2] : night witch / Aaronovitch, Ben
“Press-ganged into helping a Russian oligarch hunt his missing daughter, PC Peter Grant and his boss, Thomas Nightingale, London’s only wizarding cops, find themselves caught up in a battle between Russian gunmen, a monstrous forest creature – and their nemesis: The Faceless Man. But as Grant and Nightingale close in on the missing girl, they discover that nothing about this case is what it seems!” (Catalogue)

Join us for a Talk with Emily Writes

With the new release of  Is it Bed Time Yet? a hilarious and moving collection of writings about being a parent in Aotearoa by Emily Writes and friends, we invite you to come along to the Central Library for a very special author talk!

Come along and have a laugh, share some stories and meet the author herself, Emily Writes. Emily will share a reading from her new book, some stories and answer all of those burning questions, and there might even be a special guest or two!

When and where?

This event will be held at 10:30 am at the Wellington Central Library on Wednesday August 22nd.

Our Baby Rock & Rhyme session with finger dancing and stories runs from 9:30-10:00am in the children’s area, so come along for some fun for the little ones first, then head over to the Young Adults area on the ground floor nearby for some fun for yourself.

You can borrow a copy from us or Unity Books will be available during the event to sell copies of Is it Bed Time Yet? and you may even be able to get your copy signed!

About Emily Writes?

Wellington local Emily Writes is a best-selling author, writer, activist, volunteer and a mother of two. Emily has published two books Rants in the Dark: One Tired Mama to Another and Is it Bedtime Yet? with Penguin RandomHouse. She has been the parenting columnist for the New Zealand Herald and the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly and has also written for Metro magazine. She is currently editor of The Spinoff Parents and a panelist on The Parenting Hour on Newstalk ZB. Emily founded and runs a not-for-profit/volunteer-run charity called Ballet is for Everyone, which provides free ballet lessons for children from low-income homes and children with disabilities and high health needs. She is an advocate for children’s and women’s rights, speaker for The Neonatal Trust and Perinatal Depression and Awareness Aotearoa.

Borrow Emily’s books:

Is it bedtime yet? / Writes, Emily
“The experience of parenthood is different for everyone. And every day can be different too. Read a hilarious and moving collection of perspectives from the well-loved Emily Writes and her friends. Some of them are experienced writers, others have put pen to paper for the first time. If it takes a village to raise a child, then this writing comes from the whole village. Yet every experience is a real one, and you will feel the joy, the horror, the love and the heart-ache as you read about birthday parties, vasectomies, hugs, hospitals and, of course, sleepless nights.” (Catalogue)

Rants in the dark : from one tired mama to another / Writes, Emily
“Popular blogger Emily Writes gives words of encouragement to sleep-deprived parents everywhere. With two small boys, both non-sleepers, Emily finds herself awake in the wee small hours night after night. Her writing is often done then, and she offers her own often hilarious and always heart-warming experiences to other exhausted parents. She describes the frustrations as well as the tender moments of real parenting, as opposed to what you thought it was going to be like, or what well-meaning advice-givers tell you it should be like. A must-have for all new parents and parents-to-be. Emily’s blogs have been wildly popular, as have her on-line columns with New Zealand Woman’s Weekly and The New Zealand Herald.” (Catalogue)

Monsters and Crafts @ Central for the Lōemis Winter Solstice Festival!

This winter, reach way back to your neolithic roots with the Lōemis Winter Solstice Festival. Observe the longest nights of the year and the deep dark of winter with a hearty mix of monsters and crafts, music and feasting, dance and theatre and finish it all off with a fiery waterfront procession.

What is that Monster in the Central Library?

Between June 6th-20th come into the Central Library and behold Seraphina! Representing the messenger, the bringer of birth, death, and rebirth as part of the cosmic fire of creation; in Seraphina’s nest, place hand written notes of what you wish gone and feed it to the cavity in her stomach. In her egg, place your notes containing that which you wish to build anew: your hopes, dreams, and love for the future.

Then, on the night of the Winter Solstice Ritual (June 21st), follow Seraphina, accompanied by a live orchestra, as she begins her procession through Civic Square to the Whairepo Lagoon where she will be set ablaze along with all of the thoughts and feelings you fed through your notes, in an ancient ritual celebrating birth, death, and rebirth.

Did someone say crafting event at the Library?

During Seraphina’s stay at the Central Library, partake in two evenings of crafting and papier-mâché fun with FREE workshops run by local artists Zoe Higgins and Leda Farrow.

From 6-8pm on Wednesday June 6th, celebrate the installation of Seraphina and come along to Central for a FREE Mask Making Workshop lead by artist Zoe Higgins. On the ground floor in the YA area, enjoy an evening getting crafty and making your own papier-mâché mask that you can then wear to the winter solstice parade on June 21.

The following Wednesday (June 13th) at 6-8pm, try your hand at something different with a Silhouette Egg Lantern Workshop lead by artist Leda Farrow. The egg, a universal symbol of life will be an ancient and symbolic inspiration for your lantern which can then be used to light the way for Seraphina during the winter solstice parade.

All materials and paints will be included and provided. Registration is required, as there are a limited number of spaces available.

To register, please contact either the Library or Lōemis via email to enquiries@wcl.govt.nz  or info@loemis.nz, via phone at 04 801 4040 or come and speak to a Librarian to reserve your place.

These events are suitable for people of all ages however children must be supervised by an adult.

What about all of the music and feasting, dance and theatre?

Enjoy feasting and music at the Feast Of Yaldā, take in the wonders of theatre with the innovative work Íkaros and be tempted by an evening of dance with Footnote Dance Company’s production Search Engine, to name but a few.

Make sure you check out the full Lōemis programme and ticketing information at Lōemis.nz