Bachchanek

In the heart of Wrocław, right next to the delicious smells of curry and rice from a nearby Indian restaurant, stands a very special gnome: Bachchanek. He doesn’t wear a gnome hat, and he has no beard – but what he does have is a head full of poems and a heart full of culture!

Bachchanek was created to honor Harivansh Rai Bachchan, the most famous Hindi poet of the 20th century. His face looks more like a real person than a typical gnome – and that makes him truly one of a kind. When he was unveiled in December 2019, people came from all over – even from India – to welcome him.

Even though he looks serious, kids say that when no one is watching, he hides behind flowerpots and rhymes everything he sees. And if someone says something beautiful out loud – Bachchanek might just smile. Just a little. But it's real!

He’s not only a guardian of poetry – he’s a symbol of friendship between Poland and India. And who knows… if you get close enough, maybe a little poem will pop into your head too?