Bhilar, Maharashtra: The small village of Bhilar is about 250 kms from Mumbai and close to the twin hill-stations of Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani, in Maharashtra’s ‘strawberry country’. It’s scenic, green most of the year and pink in the winter cropping season. Now it is being converted into a book village.
Led by Education minister Vinod Tawde, this project was undertaken by the Marathi Bhasha department wherein 25 locations around the village will turn into reader hot spots or mini-libraries. Seventy five artists have creatively designed the 25 locations with support from Asian Paints Ltd, he said.
Also, the state has provided several facilities such as chairs, tables, decorated umbrellas and glass cupboards to local villagers to help them enhance the reading experience of literary connoisseurs visiting there.
“The government has financed around 15,000 books to be kept there permanently for the public at around 25 key locations around the village of 600 families. Anybody can simply pick up a book of his/her choice, read for as long as they want and keep it back for the others,” explained Tawde.
The books range from literature, poetry, religion, women and children, history, environment, folk literature, biographies and autobiographies to festival specials reported IANS
“The initiative will help people, especially the younger generations to imbibe reading habits and rekindle the interest in our country’s rich literary heritage and culture,” enthused Tawde.
The idea of a book village was inspired by Hay-on-Wye, a Welsh village with several bookshops, known for its annual literary festival.
Starting with a single bookstore in 1962, Hay-on-Wye village was bursting with bookshops by 1970s, and is now called ‘Town of Books’.
Over the years, the Hay Festivals have spread to Italy, Spain, Peru, Colombia, Denmark, Mexico, Kenya, The Maldives and other countries. Hopefully one day Bhilar will reach the same fame.
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