The marvellous totem pole of learning
| Date :22-Sep-2019 |
“No digital platform can replace the joy of folding the top right corner of the page as a book mark, or the joy of placing creative, innovative bookmarks -- a pipal leaf, a flower, a self made chart paper vertical strip -- or the joy of racing through the climax of the mystery in various corners of the house, or soaking in the aroma of the hot baked scones and honey in Enid Blyton’s kid stories ...” - THIS message comes up in memory file every now and then -- as a testimony to an endearing book-reading culture that has continued to flourish despite the so-called growth in popularity of digital platforms that are available these days. These few words underline an intimate relationship the reader develops with the book.
These words also explain how perhaps the books, too, may be waiting for the reader to romance with the the pages and their content. The message (by Mrs. Rina Sinha, a Hitavada reader, and a high ranking corporate executive) also indicates how a complete world pulsates between the covers of the book and how the reader gets so totally absorbed in its folds in which life keeps scripting newer definitions and levels of comprehension, be it fiction or non-fiction or poetry or anything -- in any language. It is true beyond doubt that the book -- any book -- is a world in itself, no matter its vintage.
The new book has its own aroma and freshness with a crisp, crackling sound of turning pages. But the old book, too, has its own, aged aroma that deepens with time even though the pages have lost their crispy touch. The pages of the old book are almost as much soft as Mother’s old saree, and warm almost like her lap when she pulls the little one into it and wraps her arms around her. In the increasingly digitised method of reading now available to many, a fear is often expressed that the charm of book could be lost forever. Those who express this apprehension, however, fail to realise the magnetic power of the standard book ensconced within covers and carved on pages as something immortal, something that would and could never pass beyond the curtain of time.
True, everything physical is destined to perish at some moment. Yet, the wise people of the past called the written letter -- the word -- as akshar (unperishable -- something that has no death). How right they were! In just that one-word Sanskrit expression, they epitomised what the book stands for. For those who love reading, the standard book often forms an integral part of the emotional process. The book is such a marvellous totem pole of intimacy of learning! As a child, I do remember picking up a book, holding it tight in embrace near the chest, and rolling onto the bed and falling asleep. I still do that quite often -- as if feeling assured that the book’s content would travel into my being if held so close to one’s heart! This is not a poetic nonsense. I know countless people carrying similar feelings about books and having such relationship with books. Of course, each book-lover has his and her own way to relate to the books and their covers and pages and content -- physically and metaphysically. Therefore those fine words creep back to forefront of memory every now and then -- the joy of folding the top right corner of the page as a book mark, or the joy of placing creative, innovative bookmarks -- a pipal leaf, a flower, a self made chart paper vertical strip ... !