Aksharaveedhi:
An open-air library in Kerala that makes books accessible to all
People need not necessarily ‘walk in’
to this open-air library.
How
often have we yearned for a quiet weekend spent reading the books we have
always put off? What would make the equation more desirable, you ask? A cup of
steaming hot tea, sitting out in the open, where nobody would demand a
subscription fee, nor would ask you to leave.
A
group of artists and art lovers in Thiruvananthapuram is not only basking in
the sunshine, but also in the glory of having conceptualised an open-air
library.
For
over a month now, an open-air library called “Aksharaveedhi” has been
functioning on the streets of “Manaveeyam Veedhi” (cultural corridor). The
Malayalam word “Aksharaveedhi” roughly translates to “the path of words”.
For
the uninitiated, “Manaveeyam Veedhi” took shape in the year 2001 as the State
Cultural Affairs Department’s initiative to support artistes and to make art
more accessible to the public.
Since
then, the street would come alive on weekends with art exhibitions and folk
song programmes, and became a platform where artists from across the state
could meet.
The
open-air library was conceptualised by Team Nizhalattam, an artists’ forum with
close to 100 members. It functions during the weekends from 6 am till
late in to the night. The books include famous novels and children's literature
in Malayalam, English and Hindi. However, newspapers, that figure into the
essentials list for a Malayali after food, shelter and clothing, are made
available throughout the week.
Ratheesh
Rohini, a member of Nizhalattam says that the team has managed to collect over
a thousand books so far, most of them donated by the public. However, only
500-odd books and some Malayalam newspapers are displayed in the one book-shelf
that is kept on the street.
Arun
Samgraha, an artist, is the kingpin of the concept.
Anything
that is easily accessible to the public naturally attracts safety concerns.
However, at “Aksharaveedhi”, one would not find anybody keeping a watch over
the books. Though the initial few days saw a couple of newspapers being lost,
gradually it stopped.
“Even when it rains, some one or the
other who is present there would wrap a sheet over the book-shelf. It is
the responsibility of every individual to do so. Along with encouraging a
reading culture, we also want to promote these kind of values,” Ratheesh says.
The team looks plans to introduce CDs of classic films to their collection in
the future.
Regards
Pralhad
Jadhav
Senior
Manager @ Library
Khaitan
& Co
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