Skip to main content

Celebrate the World Book Day

Today is the World Book Day and it is a perfect excuse to talk and write about books. Book publishing in India is reaching great heights but the quality of content is miserably falling. We writers have a tremendous responsibility to keep up to the legends of regional literature most of whom we have already forgotten. 

I understand that this is the name of the game. Times change, preference of people change and so do writing styles. But it is quite sad that we dump treasures of literature and start afresh. Here I would like to point to the role of libraries who have failed miserably to preserve literature and stories. As a storyteller myself I am often appalled at the way stories of yesteryear writers are erased from public memory and record. Just because a publisher lost interest and the library didn't care, the writer himself or herself no longer alive or around does not mean we forget all about the literary work. 

This day is also a good day for us to introspect as a society as to whether we want books in our midst or not. For the businessmen amongst us, no longer want to sell books. I hardly see any bookseller in any market I visit. It seems we are only too happy to outsource this to foreign capital backed etailers and that too just a few of them. Most of them are too focussed on selling fashion anyway. In brick and mortar space Crossword is like the last man standing. So imagine my surprise when I found over my last visit, Crossword selling t-shirts. 

When you then look at society's role in maintaining libraries, it is an alien concept. No one wants to do that. No one wants to discuss this. The libraries build years ago now lie in despicable state. 

What this reflects is our utter disrespect for books. India, which is known for its seers and gurus. The propagator of knowledge and yet we have dumped books like a pariah. The books which we are publishing might relate to a section of the youth but are no way an endorsement of upliftment of our society. 

Here is wishing the new level of introspection and a healthy debate on the state of books in India. And also on their rightful place in the Indian society.

____________

On a completely different note, In the Awe of Life is now available in print through Amazon but currently only available in selected countries.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Also read

Does India need communal parties?

I think, it was Tan's post on this blog itself, Republic Day Event, where this question was raised. My answer. YES. we need communal parties even in Independent, Secular India. Now let me take you, back to events before 1947. When India was a colony of the British Empire. The congress party, in its attempt to gain momentum for the independence movement, heavily used Hinduism, an example of which is the famous Ganesh Utsav held in Mumbai every year. Who complains? No one. But at that time, due to various policies of the congress, Muslims started feeling alienated. Jinnah, in these times, got stubborn over the need of Pakistan and he did find a lot of supporters. Congress, up till late 1940's never got bothered by it. And why should we? Who complains? No one. But there were repercussions. The way people were butchered and slaughtered during that brief time when India got partitioned, was even worse than a civil war scenario. All in the name of religion. And there indeed was cr...
40 comments
Read more

Union Budget India 2026-2027: 12 shocking truths that affect your wallet and future

The Union Budget India 2026-2027 is more than numbers on paper. It’s a mirror of promises, propaganda, and practical policies. This article breaks down what’s truly useful for you—jobs, taxes, inflation, and infrastructure—while cutting through the noise. Think of it as a friendly guide that explains the budget like a story, not a spreadsheet. Why does the Union Budget India 2026-2027 matter to you? India’s fiscal deficit for 2026–27 is pegged at nearly ₹17 lakh crore, while interest payments alone consume over ₹14 lakh crore. This means most of what the government borrows is not funding new projects but servicing old debt—a cycle that resembles “evergreening” of loans. Despite record tax collections, a large share is swallowed by debt servicing rather than fresh development. Breaking Down the Numbers Fiscal Deficit (FY27) : ₹16.95 lakh crore, or 4.3% of GDP . Interest Payments : Over ₹14 lakh crore, making it the single largest expenditure item. Total Expenditure : Around ₹53....
Post a Comment
Read more

Epitome of equality

First of all This is not to demean any religion.. I am a Hindu by birth, but yes I respect all religions .I offer my daily prayers , fast on holy days , but there was something that was disturbing me . God as per me was a Friend, someone who was by my side always , someone who was a dear friend , but this is not what everyone else thought , for others he was the Judge who gives his verdict always and punishes anyone and everyone . Walk into any temple and you would see , if you have money , you will be treated in a way as if you are the ONLY disciple of the God . I have had too many experiences where I was treated as a second class citizen in the temple . Why? Well I could not afford giving thousands as donation. This is not how it should be , God looks at each one of us with the same divinity .As I mentioned God for me is a friend, so tell me, do we chose friends based on their bank balances? Do we give our verdict on them ? then how can God do it? I know many of us would ...
32 comments
Read more