Reading has suddenly become the favourite pastime for septuagenarian Purushotham Naidu from Kuchivaripalle village, and the library established at the local temple is his favourite haunt.
Similar is the case with Venkataramana Reddy of Pullaiahgaripalle, an avid reader of non-fiction and mythological collections. Most part of his forenoon is spent reading books and novels.
The duo and many like them owe their new hobby to the ‘Book Village Project’, an initiative by Mohan Babu University (MBU). Kuchivaripalle, Pullaiahgaripalle, Kotala, Bandarlapalle and A. Rangampeta are the five villages covered under it.
Pick and move
According to the college management, the idea began with the creation of a book shelf in a bus shelter opposite the campus so that students can read while waiting for the bus. In view of the encouraging patronage, the students were even allowed to “pick and move”, and the management replenished the books every month.
“We wanted to inculcate the reading habit among the residents of the villages around our campus as well so that the entire vicinity becomes a vibrant knowledge centre,” says Vinay Maheshwari, executive director of Sree Vidyanikethan Educational Trust (SVET), the parent body of MBU.
The management also deputes its teaching faculty and students to the villages regularly to not only offer books but also to clear the villagers’ doubts on various subjects and contemporary issues.
“Reading is not just a fundamental skill, but a powerful gateway to language acquisition, communication and sharing of ideas. With a noticeable decline in reading habit, especially among the youth, which has started threatening intellectual and cultural growth, we wanted to bridge this gap,” says chief growth and strategy officer Vikas Singh.
Temples become libraries
Libraries were built in local temples, where the villagers gather regularly. The extended hall in front of the sanctum sanctorum doubled as a reading hall, and the book shelves found a place alongside the ‘Vahanams’ (celestial carriers) used for religious processions.
“This way, our temples have become knowledge dissemination centres for the community,” observes Venkataramana Reddy, a retiree who has completed a PG.
Going by the response, the management plans to add more book racks and diverse content to its libraries.
Published - April 16, 2025 07:11 pm IST
