Mumbai: Free library comes up at Girgaon Chowpatty's Nana Nani Park

The free library at Girgaon Chowpatty’s Nana Nani Park. Pics/Sameer Markande

Girgaon Chowpatty's Nana Nani Park, older neighbour to the viewing gallery and opposite the Orient Club, has just sprouted a new facility for the silver-haired set. A free library has opened on the park's premises. The books, donated by citizens, are stored in a cupboard by a foundation working in the space of senior care. Visitors to the park can browse, read, and even take the books home promising to return them in good faith. The facility was ‘inaugurated' on Tuesday evening at the park. This is a recreation space for senior citizens. Started in 1999, the space gives a view of the chowpatty sands and the sea.

Peace nook

"People here are into meditation" explained park manager Vasudev Meherkar, who was at the garden gate on Tuesday evening. "They find the relative silence, the scenery extremely soothing. Do not dismiss these old people as relatively immobile," he said with a laugh. "Many of them jog here, some do on-the-spot jogging, looking out to the sea. I think this place itself calms the mind. A library should work well. We need some Gujarati books, many who visit here are Gujaratis," he added.

Citizen support

Jitendra Pardesi, superintendent of gardens, BMC, said at the opening, "We are concentrating on making these places fit for international standards. Though the BMC is at the forefront, it does need the help of NGOs. Also, citizen support is paramount. More power to these initiatives that bring layers and a different perspective to green preservation."

Model library

The Gabula Foundation, with others, is behind the initiative, said Dr Ismat Gabula, one of the founders of the eponymous foundation, "The concept is from the ‘Little Free Library' model. The point is to bring another dimension to recreation for senior citizens. We also want to make books accessible. There is a lot of talk about the reading habit being extinguished. Let us stoke those embers and see that they burst into a flame once again, by bringing books to the people. We were also surprised at how many people wanted to donate books once we announced this."

Reading habit

Beena Dattani, president, Inner Wheel Club of Bombay Pier Tiara, also part of this Library4all installation, said it was all about, "Take a book, read a book, leave a book. We will bring back more people into reading with this. Currently, there are about 200 books in our library cupboard." Ravindra Pal, project manager, Nana Nani Foundation, said, "This park is for senior citizens aged 60 years and over. Our Foundation trustee is Shyam Singhania. Citizens have been getting complimentary tea for 25 years. We also have newspapers in all languages here in the mornings so this seems a natural extension of that penchant for reading."

Follow up

Ibrahim and Shama Rangoonwalla, Colaba residents, who were at the opening, stated, "This is an excellent concept. Now, follow-ups like how the books will be secured need to be worked out. We too are old school, we like the feel of pages and print in our hands rather than reading on devices."

Wise words

Regular visitors of the park were curious about the addition to their familiar place. Shantilal Patel was enthused as he said, "I come in here to read the papers daily. Now, there will be books too." While Arun Saitawadekar added triumphantly, "Books equal knowledge." The gent told a story in all his silver-haired wisdom, "Once a roomful of weapons was arguing about who is the strongest of all. A weapon called ‘words' sat at the back of the room and chuckled at their pronouncements because he knew that he was the strongest of all." That of course took one back to the adage, ‘the pen is mightier than the sword' and proved that this may open a new chapter for all those in their sprightly 60s and 70s, indomitable 80s, fiery 90s who call this park their home away from home.