Rushing to libraries just to lay your hands on the one book you’ve been aching to read had a charm of its own. For those who still yearn for the smell of parchment and flipping through pages, Bengaluru has the perfect solution. After book fairies and human libraries, it’s time for read-a-thons, meet ups discussing book deals and pop-up libraries within the city!
The city abounds in book clubs, that’s no secret. But what’s new is the trend of read-a-thons. “The idea is simple,” shares Radhika Chauhan, avid bibliophile and organiser of these events. “An impromptu meet up within our book community that could be at any cafe or auditorium. All you have to do is bring a book and read in peace in the company of fellow bookworms,” she believes. As opposed to book clubs, there’s no structured or pre planned agenda when it comes to these read-a-thons. No discussions or reviews, just pure indulgence in reading.
Meeting up to discuss good books isn’t just about reviewing books any more though. Abhiram Ramesh addresses this as the broke man’s solace to finding classics at reasonably affordable prices. “We talk and interact casually about the books we have read and where to find them. Often we are faced with the issue of books being overpriced, so our agenda is to link people to affordable rates,” he shares.
The list does not end here because young Bengalurean bibliophiles are all about taking the extra measure. Popup book stalls have been a thing for quite a while now, as Nishtha G believes. She spills, “We just set up a rack of books, usually in crowded places. Those interested can borrow these books or even donate their own. We believe in sharing the love for reading, mingled with an element of surprise.”
From engineers to artists, these enthusiasts are people with regular day jobs and a love for words that make one travel another world. As Deepak Rao, who has been a book club organizer for a decade, firmly believes, “In an age of Kindle and E-books, these are the quirky practices that could really string young readers’ intrigue. It is the fact that people from all walks of life coming forward to promote the idea that does the magic.”
