Daily Times

The great Indian poet and lyricist Gulzar has written a valediction on Books, which have been locked in big cupboards, with little hope for their relevance in present times. In the poem discussed below, he has juxtaposed the golden past of books with their present misery, and I am quoting a few translated passages from his poem, because the thesis I wish to build is essentially inspired by his lament:

“They (Books) peer from beyond Glasses of locked cupboards; they stare longingly for months we do not meet. The evenings once spent in their company are now passed at the computer screen. They are so restless as if they walk in their sleep…. The relationships they spoke about have all come undone today; a sigh escapes as I turn a page; the meanings of many words have fallen off; they appear like shriveled, leafless stumps where meaning will grow no more…. Many traditions lie scattered like the debris of the earth; that bond with books is severed now…. the world of knowledge still lives on, but what of the pressed flowers and scented love messages hidden between their pages; and the love forged on the pretext of borrowing, dropping and picking up books together, What about them? That, perhaps, shall no longer be!”

The above mentioned translation of a poem crisply describes the wealth of wisdom that a book contains, which has always been the best partner of people in all their moods. Gone are the days when such exchanges of books between book readers, besides enhancing their knowledge, also added a soft touch of romance between them. The new generation is totally ignorant about it. Somebody once said, “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”

Book is the best companion that one can have, because when you get tired, you can lay the book aside, but you cannot tell the same to your friends without displeasing them. One can keep consulting the best literature throughout the life for guidance and advice.

Presently, the book reading habit is declining because of rapid technological advancement.

Presently, the book reading habit is declining because of rapid technological advancement. Digital gadgets are responsible for distracting kids from their academics as well as reading habits. Reading books in hardcopy is a globally recognized intellectual and cultural activity, which keeps the brain healthy and alive, but unfortunately the culture of reading printed books is almost becoming non-existent in our society. There are many reasons for this sorry state of affairs. The prevailing poverty and the sky-rocketing prices of the books are the main reasons. Our education system is based on rote learning which stultifies the minds of our younger generation, while making them unable to think freely. Kids keep their eyes glued to computer screens, and thus, weaken their eye sight as well. The teachers do not even encourage children to read books beyond the ones that are a part of the curriculum. Somerset Maugham said, “To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all miseries of life.”

Why does our generation lack a friendly relationship with books? The primary reason is that digital books never go out of stock. All one needs is to get access to an online copy of a book. Moreover, millions of electronic books can be stored in a single hard drive or memory card. Furthermore, there is a great fun in the synchronization of eBooks to audio books. As a matter of fact, most of the e-Books come with a built-in audio book feature. All you need to do is connect your headphones and enjoy listening to the audio books. Moreover, eBooks have a search feature too, in order to directly get to your favourite topic. Unlike the print media, in which publishers spend heavy cost in printing and paying for shipments and taxes etc., the digital books can be bought at a fraction of the cost. This is even more feasible if you are a university student and cannot spend thousands of rupees on your books.

Despite all the attractive features of e-Books, sound reasons exist for reading the hardcopies. Firstly, it improves the cognitive ability, since reading works like exercise for the brain. Secondly, reading can enhance critical thinking and analytical skills. It also helps fighting off dementia and improves mental health as you age. Moreover, reading improves vocabulary that further improves communication skills.

Knowing and understanding the authors by reading printed books helps building a rapport with their subjective minds and their thinking patterns about the world, which instills compassion and tolerance in a reader.

Many people often say that the book was much better than the movie itself. It is mainly because there is magic and pleasure in reading a book as it awakens all our cognitive faculties, hence, the lessons learnt from the books stay longer with us. Reading also increases our understanding of the world and human emotions by letting you interact with all developments in a more thoughtful and reflective manner which is not possible on a computer screen.

Last but not the least, the paramount importance of the written words of all the heavenly revealed scriptures, changes the entire spectrum of intellect and exposure. We cannot even eschew a single word in the great poetry from Homer to Shakespeare, Milton, Dante, Goethe, Byron, Shelley and Keats, or our own great poets such as Rumi, Hafiz, Ghalib, Meer, Iqbal and Faiz etc., whose entire poetry is immersed in our souls and their each word deserves to be preserved in bronze and granite. This is possible only if books are preserved and read in printed forms, hence, cherishing them all our lives. The importance of a written word will last as long as we last on this earth, notwithstanding the great scientific inventions that will make for the wider dissemination of man’s knowledge.

The writer is a former member of the Provincial Civil Service, and an author of Moments in Silence.