We attach great importance to Mothers' Day, Fathers' Day, Valentines' Day and so on and so forth. But how many of us give vent to Readers' Day. Ironically only a few, the obvious reason being we read something or the other everyday.
It was a real treat to the eye, while reading Mathrubhumi, the largest circulated news daily in Malayalam on the 19th June 2015, I came across a full page length report with the headline "Today is Readers' Day" (in Malayalam "Vayana Dinam" which translated to English becomes "Reading Day"). To be frank, I myself, was not aware of a Readers' Day ever before. So for me it was an invigorating experience. I could not stop appreciating the initiative of the daily in creating an awareness among the masses on the importance of reading. And to coincide with this drive, a week long programme has also been organised together with an exhibition cum sale of a wide variety of books in different languages offering big discounts in order to lure more and more to take to reading.
Alarmingly the number of serious readers among the new generation is dwindling and slowly reading is becoming a thing of the past as they spend more and more time glued to the i-phones busily browsing and chatting on trivial matters. This needs to change. For this social organisations should hold seminars with the sole aim of encouraging and inculcating the habit of reading among the young and old alike.
Reading rejuvenates our mind, enriches our knowledge, helps us keep abreast with the developments taking place everyday around the world. We start the day scanning the newspaper to keep ourselves upto-date on varying subjects, be it politics, sports, world affairs, weather, fashion, food, technology and what not?. The list is endless. Unless we utilise our time in useful reading we fail to connect with the world and grope in the dark leading a miserable meaningless life.
Readers fall into different categories like those who read for pleasure, for gaining knowledge, for preparing themselves for competitive examinations, for personality development and even to while away time and escape boredom and loneliness.
Apart from giving us knowledge, reading stimulates our senses which in turn improves our bodily functions. It helps refresh our mind and body. It moulds our character. The benefits of reading can be attributed to the subject that we choose and the content. By reading we are able to share the experiences and thoughts of others which in the right perspective will shape our character and destiny.
When we are alone, reading materials keep us good company. While in a happy mood reading elevates our joy and while depressed or dejected reading soothes and consoles our troubled minds.
We must keep pace with the changing world and if only we give importance to reading regularly this can materialise. During our morning stroll we often come across people in different age groups engrossed in newspapers. Their interests may vary. But they have one purpose in common. Move with the times and know what the world has in store for them.
A few months back, I happened to read an article about a politician whose only interest was reading (of course other than politics) and who virtually invested all his earnings on books. After spending over four decades in active politics when he finally returned to his native place in Kerala he brought along three truck loads of books numbering 25000. Really a staggering number considering it is an individual's private collection. I made a rough calculation and came to the conclusion that he has been reading on an average two books a day. Is that not astounding?. For an ordinary person it is a wee bit difficult to emulate him. But he is a glaring example when the topic "Reading" comes up for debate or discussion.
Whenever I think of the subject "Reading" I travel down the memory lane tracing vivid memories of my mother's elder sister who was an avid reader. But her choice of books was unique. She was interested only in detective novels and ghost stories in Malayalam. It was the duty of the children to get her books from a local lending library everyday and she could easily finish a two hundred page book in one sitting. And at night before the children retire to bed she will share what she has read with the children. These stories get embedded in their tiny minds. But the bookish knowledge that my aunt acquired had only an adverse impact on the children and she too did not get knowledgeable. As a result when they grew up the word courage was not synonym with them. The thoughts of thieves and ghosts always haunted them.
In short, we must be selective in choosing the books, should read with a purpose and always give vent to the time factor. We must read with absolute concentration so that we are able to memorise and put what we read into action at a later date. We should never read haphazardly as it will only be a waste of our valuable time and energy. Reading is to the mind what food is to the body.
That reminds me of an interesting anecdote. Winston Churchil met his cousin Londonberry, himself a writer, at a party. Londonberry casually asked - Hi Winston haven't you read my latest book, for which Churchil replied - Oh no, no way, I read only for pleasure or profit.
In conclusion, let me assert that the new generation imbibe and understand the virtues of good reading and endeavour to make reading a part and parcel of their daily lives and strive to do their best even if they find it a herculean task to match the amazing feat of that political wizard and a voracious reader with a huge collection of books.
No comments:
Post a Comment