Bharat Chand
A couple of months ago, one of the national dailies of Nepal reported that students vying to pursue M.Phil at Tribhuwan University were asked whether they had studied books outside of their course books during interview. Most of them, according to the report, replied that they had read none yet. Despite having increased the significant number of educational institutions at private and public level after the restoration of democracy in 2046 B.S, the culture of reading books incongruent with syllabus has been regarded as the waste of time and is the real cause behind limiting the full-fledged potential of an individual to prosper.
Amartya Sen in his latest book ‘Home in the World’ speaks about Shantiniketan and its academic programs that gave emphasis to the full-fledged development of a child. The school founded by Rabindranath Tagore was the inception towards building his bright career and has immensely helped him become who he is today. The norms and values at Shantiniketan inculcated not only helped excel in academics but also assisted at excelling extra skills required in life as well. The years he spent while pursuing bachelor’s degree in Calcutta were more enticing in terms of reading books of various genre by visiting to libraries and book stalls as well. The books he was interested in, if was not find in the library of college, would be lent by book sellers, keeping the condition that books borrowed be kept afresh without a mark inside and return them within the stipulated time. The habit of studying wide range of books that dealt with philosophy, history, economics, art, culture and tradition helped him become man of polymath, leading to win the Nobel Prize in 1994.
Books of any sort help one way or the other to excel in academics, helping one to found deeper level of understanding over the subject one is immensely interested in. Most of the students willing to excel in academics mainly ask what should they do in order to be alike the ones speaking and writing about the issues. There is not sure and certain strategy one could apply in mastering the skills, but the most striking part of overcoming it is that one needs to have at least interest to learn and move ahead with enthusiasm, the quality needed to hone one’s skill and knowledge. Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla Company is still regarded as an avid reader, spending most of his time on studying books. During his school days, it is learnt that he had studied all the books kept in school library and the act of which had forced school administration to keep newer books in the library at least for him. The passion to reading books led this business Mogul reach in the position he is holding now in business fraternity.
During lockdown, we, the like-minded friends, had initiated discussion over books we had been reading and the issues unfolding then to keep ourselves indulged and motivated in order to be away from the fear-mongering hovering over us. The intention behind it was to share knowledge we had obtained through different sources and the act of this sort eventually led to connect people from different walks of life. Some teachers working at public schools shared the pathetic situation of conducting virtual classes as the students they conversed with had the problem of owning smartphones, a must have device to connect through internet connection. The wide- range of topics we choose to discuss were primarily about the art in the time of pandemics, vulnerability of people due to the absence of food, strategies of containing the virus by the government heads of the world and economic impacts of pandemic. Some famous books like ‘The Plaque’ written by Albert Camus and Ted talks by Bill Gates on the prediction of pandemic back in 2015 were heavily emphasized to gear up an intensive discussion over the problem that the world was going through. The interaction of this sort exceedingly helped the members of interaction group connected via zoom to be more voracious on reading each week that we passed by.
The restaurants with access to read books are on rise in and out of the Kathmandu valley these days. It’s a matter of pride that reading culture is footing its place gradually among the bookaholics. Ujjama, a newly opened restaurant with an objective of spreading the culture of reading at Shankhamul provides not only an opportunity to have varieties of coffees to taste but also an opportunity to read books as well. The books have been stacked beautifully at the restaurant and one can drag the book of his/her choice while having the taste of coffee. According to the owner of Ujjama, the restaurant is attracting the book lovers who seek a place where they could share what they have been reading and researching. Book club at Bhaktapur does impart the same purpose to the book lovers that Ujjama is doing. The discussion forums at Butwal, Pokhara and other parts of nation one way or the other help produce the knowledge and assist to create knowledge which eventually helps in bringing reformations in the sectors we have desperately been waiting for. What is more noticeable is that Nepal Police Branch of Nawalparashi recently distributed copies of books to its retirees as a part of gift in the farewell ceremony is an example phenomenal job that would extensively increase the reading culture among bureaucrats.
It is learnt that office goers in Calcutta do not directly return home from office as they intently meet at junctions and get engaged in discussion on the books they are reading or the issues of national or international concern. Sashi Tharoor, one of the leading intellectuals of India when responding about how he built a strong vocabulary during his childhood states that the role of parents has helped him to inculcate the culture of reading at home. Book sellers are also adding the bricks to the production of knowledge, ultimately laying the foundation of reading culture as well. Madhav Lal Maharjan, the owner of Mandala Book Point at Kantipath is seen to be discussing with many young as well as renowned authors and scholars of Nepal who come to buy books at the point. I have witnessed him at times advising young learners to read the books that have been warmly received in America and Europe as well. Martin Chautari at Thapathali has been well known place in Kathmandu valley, promoting the culture of reading for decades in Nepal.
Educational institutions running privately or publicly can play the significant role at discharging the production of knowledge by inculcating the culture of reading among the learners. To my observation, many learners have hunger to listen and learn new things than having done the textual analysis. Analysis of the text by incorporating the ideas from the similar fields helps to add new dimension on learning and creates an ambience for further interaction, a phenomenon for learning new things in one’s life. The findings of the researches carried out by the university students and the execution of them by the federal government in the USA do speak about the culture of reading and its impacts towards bringing prosperity across the nation and the world at large.
Hence, vibrated society with the custom of reading ultimately brushes all the ills of society, diminishing the culture of denigrating the people intently made inferior. An equal society could be formed by promoting the culture of reading and abating the effects of upheaval society.
[Bharat Chand is an independent researcher.]