Why read? Or perhaps let me put it this way – why some of us don’t read? Is it because we think that books, in general, are boring as our textbooks sometimes made them feel (to be honest, they made me sleep at times)? Or we don’t read because we think why waste time in reading a fiction novel when we can watch a movie/ tv series by investing in lesser time than a book? Or perhaps because it’s only cool to say ‘we love reading’ than it actually is to take out time for the same. Is it?
If you are a person who had at least read one good fiction novel (I am assuming that since you are reading this, most probably you would have. Otherwise, who takes out time to read from their I-am-busy-saving-the-world kinda life, unless they already like reading), knows that the feeling of contentment you get post making love with words is insanely awesome. By the way, if you haven’t even read one good fiction novel yet, try it (buzz me on social media. I will recommend one). I assure you will get much more than wasting that quota of time sitting in front of the idiot box at least.
Now, even if we know the perks of this amazing thing, still, at times we get so muddled up in our daily lives that it practically becomes impossible to pick up a book. Right? Wrong! Yes, that’s wrong. Actually, we become so involved and frustrated with our lives on occasions, that we subconsciously ignore the fact that reading can actually act as a blessing at such times. It can work as a much-needed respite! A saviour from the mundane businesses of the world! We need to remind ourselves time and again this very thing until it starts running in our blood. The richer, the smarter, more accomplished a person is, the smaller television (or no tv at all) and bigger libraries they have. Don’t agree with me? Read about some of the great leaders of the world in any field. See? Perks of reading. You get to know amazing, eye-opening things.
So, whenever you deviate from this awesome routine which has the power to literally transform your thinking and eventually life for good, read this article and the three points I am now going to make. But, before we do that, a quick question: why should only India read? Why only our country, but not the whole world. Exactly! Whole mankind must read more, but India in particular because from where we come is a land of literature, which now has even fewer readers than some of the developed nations. So, the reason why India (and the whole world) should read is because… Let me try and break it down like an entertaining non-fiction novel. So, take a bowl of snacks, a cup of coffee/ tea and a smile (it costs nothing. Sachchi). Thank you.
Here you go:
1. As a brilliant author once said, “the ones who don’t read are deprived of the wonders of imagination”. If we go by this saying, how awesome will it be to travel without feet, to speak without speaking, to listen without ears, to make love without… Oops! This is going too far. You actually got to make love to make love and make babies (if you want to). But, for the other parts, it’s as true as it sounds. With imagination, which lacks in the visual medium of storytelling, you develop the habit of visualising, which eventually makes one happy in a very different way. It makes you joyous sitting at a place wondering about a different world altogether. I believe, if you have a book with you, you are never alone.
The ability to visualise is a blessing. Imagine when I say ‘she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen’. Who would you see in your head? Is it Gal Gadot or it’s the gorgeous Priyanka Chopra Jonas? Madhubala, maybe? Or perhaps some girl next door will pop up in your head. Whoever it is, you will actually imagine the most beautiful girl you would have ever seen and not the one they present to you on the screen. See, that’s the difference. With a book, you can paint your own protagonists on the canvas of your head. Because you visualise in the purest, unfiltered way. As someone very well put it, “Even if you read the same book, you don’t read the same book.” That’s so insanely true. And, that makes ‘reading’ awesome. So, just register this fact – if we don’t read, we are deprived of the wonders of imagination. Such a waste of a gift. Is it not?
2. The same author also said, “books are a spiral staircase to some amazing feelings and wisdom”. Feelings and wisdom – what else a person needs to survive and live a life of meaning in this world? A book gives you just the two. And, it’s not a straight path towards them. It’s a zig-zag coal-mortar road, but with a red carpet on it. And, audience cheering, whistling, waiting for you at both sides. And, you too cheering for them. You cheer, you feel pain, smile and get angry and laugh with the characters in the pages of the book. They come to life and start speaking to you. They become you. In fact, you become them. You start living a different life. Reading has that power. Don’t agree with me? Try it once.
About the wisdom part, I always say – reading can seriously destroy your non-empathetic attitude. When you read, you become the character and start understanding his/ her psyche. What they think, why they did what they did, etc. It’s not like in the movies of the 90s where someone is good and someone is just plain evil without any reason. That rarely happens in real life. There’s always a reason why a person thinks how they think. Reading gives you hundreds of such insightful knowledge, and unknowingly you start welcoming it. Isn’t it beautiful? Learning without knowing that you are learning. I believe, anyone can teach you how to learn something, but none can teach you how to learn to learn by yourself. And, books just help you with that.
A quick tip: read to understand and not just for the sake of reading (if it’s a non-fiction novel. Because fiction, if it’s good, it will make you forget everything else). With a non-fiction book, most of the times it’s the crux of someone’s whole life. And, that makes it hell amazing.
Why I mentioned about this understand-while-reading part is because of an incident I remember that happened with me recently. The other day a reader messaged me on Instagram asking me what was the name of my next novel. I replied ‘No Matter What… I will always love you!’, and what she (the reader) replied innocently made me laugh. She said, “Aww. Thanks for your love.” Needless to say, I clarified her. But, my advice would be to pay attention to what you are reading. Also, there’s no competition going on – who reads more books.
3. The final one is… Umm… Let me do it differently. Let me tell you a story – an anecdote cum real-life incident (of someone. Whose? I don’t know that). It goes like this:
You pee every day. Right? That too multiple times. It’s easily doable. I mean, you easily get a place to pee. Now suppose you are travelling in an AC, sleeper bus on an overnight journey. Now suddenly in the middle of the night, you feel the need to pee. You resist and try to sleep recalling that there’s no loo inside the bus. When you are in the state of I-cannot-hold-it-now, you struggle and get down from your upper seat, go to the driver and asks him to stop the bus at the nearest urinal. He nods his head in assurance. He then signals at you, asking to sit at the seat near the stairs. Patiently, you start gazing at the empty road, headlights of the bus is powerful enough to give you a clear vision of the highway. As you turn your eyes to look out of the window of the fast-moving vehicle, roadside trees that are shining softly under the moonlit sky almost smile at you. The site entertains you for a short while.
When the driver doesn’t stop even after five damn minutes, you ask him again. “Driver Saab? When?” He responds in a heavy tone, that too after peeking out the gutka he had in his mouth. “Can’t stop now. This is a dangerous highway where local villagers can rob you.”
Fresh air mixed with gutka smell hits your nose and you start thinking that is he saying that you will have to pee at the side of the road. You are still okay with the idea as it’s a kind of emergency. Your bladder again screams, “Noooow!” You look at the back where there’s chilled AC inside which will only enhance your emergency. You then again start looking at the road. Potholes every now and then keep your bladder active. After a minute you start remembering what the driver had said. Now you can even imagine yourself peeing at the side of the road. In your imagination, all of a sudden you are attacked by the robbers from behind. Laughing like Ravana, they order you to hand over everything you have. You ask them to at least let you pee.
Shaking your head, you come back to the present. Again you start playing things in your head, this time as if you are in a video game driving the bus at full speed and the robbers are running parallel to your bus like zombies. Now while you keep looking at the imaginary robbers who are asking you to stop there, your bladder is constantly screaming at you.
Bladder (pleadingly): There’s nothing that can’t be made right by peeing.
Robbers (making ugly faces): Stop. We will let you do your act.
The situation is like this: Back- AC, front – robbers, side – bushes calling you, singing “Aaja, aaja!”
And, finally, the bus stops at a restaurant that has a urinal. As you come back after doing your thing, you smile and thank God. Well, cest la vie. That’s life! Till when we are getting everything, we don’t value things that we already have. If we are not thankful for the blessings we are bestowed with, the supreme power has His/ Her own ways of making us realise their importance. End of story.
I could have added here a tale about any other emotions too. Still, I chose this one for trying to make you understand the beauty of reading via a simple incident. Now imagine what can a beautiful story make you feel.
So, you tell me, does reading has the power to take you to a different world and give some wisdom at the same time?
Just for your knowledge, the brilliant author mentioned above who had said those amazing quotations about reading, feelings and wisdom is Rohit Dawesar. Didn’t read his books yet? Really? Bad. Try one. He is good. Also, that good guy is me. Thank you.
But honestly, it’s not about boasting about me or any one author or any one book. It’s about reading in general. D.E.A.R – Drop everything and read. Read, not because I or anyone else is asking you to.
Read because you deserve to feel love, sorrow, pain, excitement, thrill and numerous such things in the most beautiful, uncorrupted manner. Do yourself this favour of enjoying these amazing feelings by just sitting on your couch and getting lost in words.
So, before we end this, if you already are an ardent reader (or even if you are not, but feels connected with this cause of making India read – #IndiaLetsRead), support it. How? Here’s how you can:
1. Basic way: Be a good, sincere reader yourself. Leave a review, post about it on social media. Sometimes talk to people about books, about your favourite reads/ authors. Gift novels (perhaps comics to children. Reading comics – Billu, Pinky, Chacha Choudhary, Nagraj, Super Commando Dhruv, had made my childhood a happy childhood) instead of gifting something that will be forgotten soon. Leave a personalized note inside it.
2. Good to do: Apply the ‘basic way’ sincerely. Also, make and post a video of your reasons to read. Share it with me too (I will try and post it as well).
This is not my movement. This is yours. This is our movement. You need not mention my name anywhere whenever you post about #IndiaLetsRead. Though I, like any other creative person will feel good if you do so. But, I will feel equally good if you talk about it in any which way possible. Just let people know about reading and why they should do it. One such suggestion changed my life. Like, literally changed. For the good.
Phew! It looks like I talked a lot. Sorry, can’t help. The topic is close to my heart. And, I hope reading this was worth your time too. Let me just end it here with a Nanotale:
We met at a railway station.
Sandwiched between her friends, she was peeking out. Their collective perfume was enough to even mesmerise the whole of mankind.
She was about to fall from the shelf before I ran and caught her. Books and mine, our love story is different!
Thanks for reading. Until next time… Love, light, peace. See you in my books.
Indeed the most important topic discussed precisely. Every one should read. Period.
Thanks, Soniya. 😊 Glad we think alike. Keep reading. ❤️
That was a awesome message sir.. Really I’m literally inspired like I want to read every book in this world right now.. Yeah I’m also a reader ..not much..Please Advice me to read more interesting books I definitely will… And I’m going to read Your’s too… You Are awesome. That stuff you did told was brilliant.. Thank You sir…
People all over the world should read because it’s one way to learn how to think for yourself. A person who reads cannot be told to hate or love another without reason, meaning, reading helps us understand people who are different to us. It helps us analyse information systematically and then question what we’ve been taught. It’s a way to travel all over the world without leaving your home. History has shown that people who don’t read, are usually controlled by dictators and they usually cause the greatest devastation in the world. We must all read and as writers, we must all write the truth and teach others.
Well said, Jackie. Glad we think alike. And, yes, not only India or South Africa (your country) but the whole mankind must read more. Thanks 😊
What I think… is current Indian literature is not fair for readers like if someone gonna start reading he/she is gonna pick current best-seller(no need to mention the name of the particular book). I just think the current condition of our literature is poor and the bestsellers are not worthy of the tag(except a few) and literature can’t carry the business thing.
I agree with you, Mona. But, it’s also a fact that Indian literature is changing drastically, that too quickly, especially after the book-to-screen thing coming into the picture. Now some really talented authors are coming into the industry. I am sure you will see good literature in times to come. Keep reading. 😊
This is your first blog which I’m reading and I loved it .. I’m surely going to check your other works too!
Thanks, Mehwish. Glad you loved it. Do read more and share ya feedback. Happy reading. ❤️
You are a magician sir!🤗 Reading is a wonderful thing which mostly people skip. I think this should actually spread everywhere and people should know its importance. You have mentioned each and everything so well and I will make sure this should reach to maximum people. Thanks for writing such an amazing content❤
You are kind to say that, Arushi. ❤️ Humbled! Btw, I agree with the magician part. 😉 Thanks for reading and reviewing.
Ok so done with reading firstly the three points which is mentioned about why should India read is soo true and yes beautifully defined . everything about imagination of characters.. painting there faces and personality on our mind actually happens whenever we read any fiction stories, this is so relatable…🤩🤩. reading it with complete interest and making the books as your best companion… seriously books can never make you feel alone ones you start loving them 😍😍..the last point along with a short story was soo funny yet true one😁.and lastly the nano tale emotions which we share with our books are complete bliss🌼🌼☘️
things share are well defined and beautifully written one should definitely start reading books and @rohitdawesar have read your both the books and i definitely fell in love with them..must read books in my collections. .❤️✌️✌️. people should really understand reading books are fun and best time pass.. we come to learn so much from them..get to know various things..
M proud of myself that im one of them who loves reading 🥰❤️❤️
Sweet of you, Rina. Thanks for reading and also for taking out the time to write a detailed comment. Keep reading. ❤️ 😊
Sir i just love your blog soo sooo much😍😍….. Once i started reading it…… I was like….no….i just don’t want to stop….. I just want to read it full right know…. I will do my other work later….. Just loved it so much…… Further wanted to add i love reading/writing so much….i feel like Its a way to express your ideas…. Your feeling,emotions…. Or just to view world differently… And really enjoy doing so….
Aww. Sweet of you, Mahak. ❤️ Thanks for reading. 🙏😊
Hello sir Good evening… I am swastihaa and you know me… its a great blog and an awareness needed to be spread and you wrote it so beautiful… Yeah… according to me reading is an escape from real world and I would gladly stay in that world since its much happier than the real one… and have to mention here you just rock with your nanotales!!! I will do my part ib spreading it … Thanks!!!
Thanks a lot, Swastihaa. ❤️ Glad you liked it. Keep reading.