Pedestrians and motorists who passed by the Fort Grounds in the heart of the buzzing town on Saturday morning turned their heads on noticing a large group of students engaged in an unprecedented activity.
A silent reading session organised by National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers of Government Victoria Girls Higher Secondary School, Chittur, at a corner of the Fort Grounds sent home a big message to recapture the flagging habit of reading among the youth, even as it surprised many.
There were 100 girls with 100 books. By 10 a.m. they were ensconced on tree roots and walls in the comfort of the shade offered by the large trees. For over three hours, they read their books silently.
Many pedestrians peeped in as some bikers stopped and watched bemusedly. “It’s a rare sight. Usually we see students and elders alike looking down on their smartphones and whiling away their time in public places,” said Abdul Bari, a fruit vendor who stopped by.
The girls were on a social experiment. Not all of them had the habit of reading. But they proved that reading could be accepted as one of the profitable activities using public places.
“We were inspired by an article in The Hindu about a silent reading movement. We wanted to replicate it in our school. But realising that the effect will be much more, we chose a public place instead of our school campus,” said Vaishnavi B., leader of the NSS wing.
Vaishnavi admitted that she was not a good reader. But Saturday’s experience was an eye-opener for her. “I was amazed to discover that we could enter the world of reading and enjoy the pleasure of it in spite of being amidst a buzzing town,” she said.
Apart from several of their teachers, some writers too joined the students and appreciated the move. For writer Rajesh Menon, it was a nostalgic fall-back. “I used to read in the high-mast light of Mananchira while in Kozhikode. Some people say reading is not possible in public places. I don’t agree. We can easily create our privacy and space in a busy public place. In my opinion, reading in public place is a very good exercise to improve our concentration skills,” said Mr. Menon.
He said ‘silent reading’ in public places would not only inspire others, but also create better depths through discussions and exchanges. “It’s a great idea,” he said.
School’s NSS programme officer Sujitha R. said that they started a WhatsApp collective for promotion of silent reading. She said they were planning to install mini libraries in public places like railway stations and bus-stands.
The group is trying to cajole other schools and NSS units to join the movement. “Reading habit is dwindling among students. It is high time that we recaptured that habit, instead of wasting our precious time on social media. This is an opportunity,” said Vaishnavi.
