World Book Day 2011

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." - Charles W. Eliot (1834 – 1926)

 

 And it is to celebrate the love of books that we celebrate the World Book Day today.

This quote illustrates the importance that books have always held in our lives for a very very long time. They have eternally been a source of knowledge & the most credible medium to pass down information to the future generations. And to peruse this ocean of information, to read, is a wonderful, very intellectual habit in itself.

The connection between 23rd April and books finds its way back in 1995, when UNESCO declared it as the “World Book and Copyright Day” to commemorate the anniversary of the birth and death of  one of the most renowned personalites of English Literaure - William Shakespeare. 

The cultural eye can also trace it back to 1923 when booksellers in Spain marked it so as an ode to the death of Miguel de Cervantes (the  famous Spanish author of Don Quixote’s Adventures).

This became a part of the celebrations of the Saint George's Day  in Catalonia, where men of the medieval era gave roses to their lovers and the women to give a book in exchange. 

Although, the UNESCO declared World Book Day is on the 23rd of April, various countries celebrate this occasion on different days in assorted ways.

Check out the pictures & links to get a glimpse of how colourfully it is rejoiced.

Spain:

To celebrate this day Cervantes' Don Quixote is read during a two-day "readathon" and the Miguel de Cervantes Prize is presented by the King in Alcalá de Henares.

Gozo

The Gozo Public Library celebrated World Book Day for the fourteenth consecutive year, this time.  

To see more events in in Gozo, visit http://gozonews.com/17319/world-book-day-2011-events-celebrated-in-gozo-last-week/     

United Kingdom & Ireland            

Every year various events are organised in schools, bookshops, libraries of UK & Ireland to celebrate World Book Day.  The variety and number are impressive, demonstrating how big the celebrations are all over the country.

   
www.worldbookday.com

India:

The Library Media Centre at Kendriya Vidyalaya Pattom celebrates each  World Book and Copyright Day with colossal events.  There are competitions, author meets & exhibition of books authored by Shakespeare. 

Christopher Morley once said when you give a man a book you don't give just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue - you give him a whole new life. There's all heaven and earth in a book, a real book.

Librarywala takes this opportunity to celebrate the World Book Day 2010 in a unique way of sorts.  At Librarywala, we plan to spread the joy of reading among the underprivileged by distributing books among them. 

How you can get involved?

http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/BookDonation.aspx

DONATE your old books to the less lucky & put them to good use. We are open to comics, novels, classics - any suitable reading material.                             

Books bring delight which grows manifold when its shared especially with someone who may not have a chance to read if not for you.

Dont forget to tell us how you plan to celebrate this World Book Day. 

- Librarywala

 

"Cricket World Cup 2011"

The religion called Cricket World Cup, the God called Sachin Tendulkar, the team Bleeding Blue, the followers that outnumber the followers of any creed……

The Cricket World Cup – a 4 yearly phenomenon which infects people far and wide reaching nations. This time around, there’s something even more special about this episode. Its being held in the Asian subcontinent which makes us Indians even more crazy than we already are.

When the various-colored people of the gigantic populace forget their differences and bow down to the sport that swells up to assume the importance of a religion & the ruling God of this religion “Sachin Tendulkar”.

CWC 2011 is even more behemothish because one, the Indians are counting upon their God to bring home the sacred World Cup plus the possibility of this one being his last chance to do so.

All eyes shall be glued to the Master Blaster throughout the tournament. Fans & team-members, alike, are expecting him to uphold and embellish the nation’s honor, something that he has been doing ever since he wore India’s jersey.  After crossing milestone after milestone, he is now on his way to achieve the most coveted trophy in a sportsman’s career, the World Cup trophy.

People of all age groups talking about CWC'11 everywhere - at workstations, outside a paan shop, over BBM, over FB, and now over the Librarywala blog! It speaks for volumes for its(grand)self.

The feeling of competition, of defeating the opposite team and proceeding a step ahead to walking away with the trophy is so pure and untainted - even profanities aren’t taken offense to.

Yesterday’s victory celebrations at Carter road(Mumbai), India Gate(Delhi) and possibly every other nook and corner of the country stands as a concrete testimony to this. A first person account is all it takes to realize how sacred the cup is to the Indians and the sheer spirit of sportsmanship that took birth in every Indian soul, the day India played its first match.

                            A group reveling in Delhi

            

 people mounted on a hoarding frame in Mumbai

                                                                                          

One day when reveling on the roads with strangers won over any high-end start studded “private party”. The noise surpassed the human audibility meter as drums played at the loudest and hardest, songs blared from different cars, people loudly cheered & danced to the tunes of “INDIA..INDIA”. For the less loud, whistles did the trick!!!!

When some people stayed back in their car and enjoyed the view outside, some chose to sit on the window of the cars to feel the swing of the celebration while the rest jumped out when they saw the cheering people & ultimately joined the swelling crowd. Every flag that passed by was greeted with an applause –it was almost like hooting but all in good spirit.

Meanwhile, the drummers continued playing different tunes – inspired different rants (using language that isn’t otherwise accepted), but the good cheer absorbed all and sundry. 

Lucky ones, like us, managed to lay hands on the candy being distributed. The unlucky ones, ran into cops who hindered the merry making but let off in good spirit.This celebration went on till the wee hours of the morning, and would continue even further had it not been for the cops.

Blinded by the victory over our neighbors at Mohali, but brought to light by the fact that the next ordeal (at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai) shall be the final and the fateful.

Every Indian, including the ones outside of the physical boundaries of the subcontinent is waiting for the calendar to show April the 2^nd, 2011 and the clock to strike 2:30 IST. The tingling anticipation will be much more edgy, the spirit a lot more intense, the celebrations, if India reigns and wins the sacred trophy, a lot more colorful. And the town shall be painted a lot more redder than it already is!!!!

- Arjun Gupta

A Librarywala fan

         

Holi Hai...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of the myriad colorful festivals that India celebrates – “Holi” is the one that personifies iridescence – literally.  It is characterized by the very popular play of colors

The festival gives people a chance to paint the town colourful and envelope it in good cheer. People take immense pleasure in daubing paint on each other’s faces to the extent that they become unrecognizable.

This ritual finds its root way back in the era of the Hindu God – Krishna. It is said that Lord Krishna often complained to his mother about the Radha’s fair complexion against His darker tone. To pacify the crying young Krishna, the doting mother asked him to go and colour Radha's face.In a mischievous mood, naughty Krishna smeared Radha's face with colour.

As this tradition is native to Mathura, (also the birthplace of Lord Krishna)it is the most happening place at this time of the year . Here the celebrations continue for over a week as each major Krishna temple celebrates Holi on a different day.

Of immense interest for the tourist is the celebrations which take place at the famous Bakai-Bihari Temple at Vrindavan. Drenched in the colours of Holi people can be found totally immersed in the spirit of devotion here.

Of course each state of India celebrates the festival with equal vigour & follows its respective traditions.

However, Being a Gujarati I’m biased to the HOLI celebration in Gujarat- where it assumes a higher degree of joy and celebration.

On the eve of Holi, a bonfire decorated with flowers and fruits is lit with a fire brought from the temple of Mata. People offer raw mangoes, coconut, toys made of sugar, khoya to the 'Holika' as referred t o in myhtology.

The next day, The state wakes up to the chants of 'Govinda ala re'. This day, called Dhuleti, is reserved for the play of colours.

In addition to this, the state is famous for the tradition of breaking earthen pot full of buttermilk and tied high on a rope. A human pyramid is formed in order to reach the pot.

During the whole of this day the famous holi drink –thandai or  “bhang” as it is called in Gujarat & “malpuas” – a traditional gujarati delicacy is supplied in copious amounts.

Holi in itself carries a very important social message - The color and water is symbolic of washing away all the man made distinctions based on caste, creed, and other differences created by the society. Holi in India is one of the most socially connecting and enjoyable festivals.

Here’s wishing all of you a brightly hued HOLI!!!! 

Happy Holi.

Rikta Doshi

A Librarywala fan.