The silence of Coimbatore Reads — a bunch of people that assemble to learn at Bharathi Park each Sunday between 9am and 11am — is near-meditative. Like nonetheless water revealing what lies beneath its floor, being within the quietness of the group helps one turn out to be conscious of surrounding sounds: two quarrelling birds, a distant cough, a boisterous giggle by a cellphone’s loudspeaker, and a political debate amongst three aged walkers from the park’s perimeter, amongst others. Regardless of these distractions, you rapidly end up returning to your guide because of the presence of fellow readers. It’s nearly as if the fervour for studying is infectious.
Coimbatore Reads is likely one of the many chapters of Cubbon Reads, which has kicked off a silent studying motion in a number of components of the world. The inception of this rising pattern was purely impromptu. Final December, Shruti Sah and Harsh Snehanshu started biking to Cubbon Park, Bengaluru, on Saturdays. They’d cycle there, spend a while on the park, and return. As soon as they posted pictures of them studying there on Instagram, just a few of their pals requested if they might be part of them. So, they made a web page referred to as Cubbon Reads and invited individuals. Six of them turned up for the primary meetup. It has now grown into many chapters (reminiscent of Coimbatore Reads, Bessy Reads (in Chennai), New Jersey Reads, and so on.) and sub-chapters (like Cubbon Knits, Cubbon Eats, Cubbon Paints, and so on.), together with 1000’s of individuals.
A brand new chapter
Nivedha Krishnaraj, a software program skilled and one of many founding members of Coimbatore Reads, got here throughout Cubbon Reads when she was in Germany earlier this yr. “This bought me fascinated with how we spend our days in India. Our thought of going out has turn out to be tied to spending cash. We go to malls, theatres, or eating places,” she says, “In Germany, individuals would seize the chance of a good-weather day, going outside and doing no matter they happy. They’ll go for a run or stroll in a park. They’d arrange mats and collect in numerous components of town, relishing one another’s firm and the atmosphere. I used to be considering of doing one thing comparable in Coimbatore. That’s once I got here throughout Cubbon Reads. I messaged them to see if I can begin its Coimbatore chapter.”
Nivedha was not the one one. Akalya, a lawyer, and Arathi Dileep additionally messaged the founders of Cubbon Reads about beginning one thing comparable in Coimbatore. So, the three of them arrange the Coimbatore Reads Instagram web page collectively.
Now, they wanted a spot to fulfill. There couldn’t discover a park as inexperienced and expansive as Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park. “We don’t have a spot like that [Cubbon Park] in our metropolis,” says Akalya. “We now have the Ukkadam-Valankulam Lake. However there may be fixed site visitors. Different locations just like the Tamil Nadu Agricultural College botanical backyard are too far or have an entry payment.”
Coimbatore Reads is likely one of the many chapters of Cubbon Reads, which has kicked off a silent studying motion in a number of components of the world.
| Picture Credit score:
M. Periasamy
So, the trio zeroed in on Bharathi Park in Saibaba Colony. 9 individuals turned up for the primary meetup on July 2. The studying group has met 9 instances ever since.
The group is specific about not calling themselves a guide membership. “We don’t have interaction in guide discussions or guide exchanges. We learn silently for just a few hours after which escape for tea collectively (optionally available). Come each time, depart each time,” says its description. Anybody can be part of, so long as they don’t disturb the opposite readers.
Discovering books and pals
Arshadh Z Hussain, a 23-year-old aspiring chartered accountant who has been to a couple Coimbatore Reads meetups, reckons studying turns into extra immersive when shared with others. “The atmosphere at Bharathi Park enhances the expertise considerably. After our studying classes, we have interaction with fellow readers. That has helped me uncover extra books, concepts, and views,” he says. “As an illustration, I largely learn fiction. However among the many group, there are avid readers of non-fiction. Lately, one in every of them mentioned Communism, sparking my curiosity within the subject.”
For Shruti Jain, who bought into studying in the course of the pandemic, the studying group gives a distraction-free atmosphere. “At residence, you might be always distracted by your gadgets or different individuals. And as soon as you might be distracted, it’s laborious to get again to the guide. However once you see different individuals studying, it’s simple to learn for 2 hours with no disturbance,” she says.
Other than studying, Coimbatore Reads can be a spot to make new pals. Nanditha Srinivasan, a health care provider, lately moved to Coimbatore. Books, she says, have at all times been her companion. After shifting to town, Nanditha needed to fulfill new individuals. “Inside a couple of minutes of shopping Instagram, I found Coimbatore Reads,” she says, “Not like a traditional guide membership, there aren’t any inflexible guidelines right here. There isn’t any stress to complete a selected guide inside a selected time. So, that fits individuals who wish to learn for leisure. You additionally discover new themes, genres, books, and pals.”
Not like Cubon Reads, which has over 100 individuals each session, Coimbatore Reads hardly will get 20 individuals. However the founding members of the group — Akalya, Arathi, and Nivedha — say it’s not concerning the numbers. “Within the Netherlands, I’ve seen individuals biking from a really younger age. So, there’s a biking tradition there,” says Nivedha, “Equally, we wish to begin a studying tradition right here.”