4 days ago
Reading Clubs Build Community and Renew Literary Interest in Vizag
Reading clubs are becoming more popular in Visakhapatnam.
People meet to read books quietly or talk about what they have read.
Some clubs meet in parks, while another gathering takes place at a cafe.
Students, workers and other residents take part.
Members say reading gives them time away from screens and helps them learn new ideas.
They also discuss books and social issues with people from different backgrounds.
For some, these groups have helped them build a regular reading habit.
The clubs make reading both a personal activity and a way to connect with others.
Reading clubs are attracting people of different ages across Visakhapatnam.
Vizag Reads holds weekly quiet reading sessions at VMRDA Central Park and a monthly gathering at Kudu Cafe.
Naujawan Bharat Sabha runs reading clubs and study circles that explore literature and social issues.
Participants say the gatherings offer time away from screens, new perspectives and connections with other readers.
Students and working people describe reading circles as a way to learn and discuss books and society.
- Who
- Reading communities, including Vizag Reads and Naujawan Bharat Sabha, and their participants.
- What
- Reading clubs and study circles are gaining popularity and creating spaces for reading, discussion and community learning.
- Where
- Visakhapatnam, including VMRDA Central Park, Kudu Cafe and Shivaji Park.
- When
- The trend has developed in recent years; Vizag Reads meets weekly, and a separate gathering is held monthly.
- Why
- Organisers and participants cite interest in books and ideas, time away from screens, and a desire for learning and community.
Key facts
- City
- Visakhapatnam
- Weekly gathering
- Vizag Reads meets every week at VMRDA Central Park.
- Monthly gathering
- A separate reading gathering takes place at Kudu Cafe.
- Study circles
- Naujawan Bharat Sabha conducts reading clubs and study circles across the city.
- Open Study Circle
- The circle meets at Shivaji Park.
- Participant
- S Poojahasini, a 25-year-old migrant worker, regularly attends the Open Study Circle.
- Reasons cited
- Participants mention screen-free time, exploring ideas and connecting with other readers.
Quotes
A member of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha
A member of the organisation that conducts reading clubs and study circles across Visakhapatnam.
“With increasing uncertainty over careers and lack of time for themselves, youths are seeking some quiet time away from screens. As a result, more people are picking up books. Reading clubs are providing a much-needed sense of community in these times of severe competition. One can also attribute the rise in volunteering to these conditions.”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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