By Israruddin Israr
Book reading is a rare thing in Gilgit-Baltistan. It is fast dying even if it has any existence to some extent. Contrary to our context, book reading still holds a huge importance in the developed world despite the trend of e-books.
According to experts, with personality development, book reading also has a positive and pleasant effect on the mental health of the readers.
According to research, because of its positive impact on the mental and physical health of people, the habit of reading books helps fight different diseases and prolong one’s life.
Well read individuals command respect from other people in society. They create charm in formal and informal gatherings. They have a wealth of information using which they keep the audience constantly engaged. Similarly, the book-reading habit also helps the elderly and lonely people to feel engaged thus reducing mental stress.
One person with a book-reading habit in a household positively influences the rest of the family members.
Israruddin Israr
What makes many societies civilized, peaceful and human friendly in the world? This is because a majority of it’s population reads books as part of routine life. Studying books also ignites the creativity of a person. This is why those fond of books play an important role in the development of society.
One person with book-reading habit in a household also inspires the rest of the family members to read. My wife is fond of book reading. She also fetches books from library for me. Likewise, my children now buy and gift me books. Thus, if the head of the family reads books as part of daily practice, his/her kids will follow suit.
I inherited habit of book reading because my father was fond of book reading. He must have inherited this habit from his father who was also a renowned poet and literary personality of his era. Though my father is almost a hundred years old, his passion for books has not faded. In a nutshell, this habit of reading books, starting from my grandfather, has now been inherited by my children in the fourth generation.
Parents who want their children to be literate should first adopt the habit of reading books themselves.
Israruddin Israr
Book reading does not require any money. What does it require is the passion, thirst, and craving for knowledge, the rest happens on its own.
Secretary Information Gilgit-Baltistan Zamir Abbas has been conducting book review sessions in Gilgit for a long time which is a welcome step towards promoting book reading culture in Gilgit-Baltistan. Similarly, Aziz Ali’s Dad and many other people including a couple of enlightened women are trying hard to promote a habit of study among the young generation. Their efforts are loadable and hopefully, the trend of book reading will once again gain momentum.
What is needed in the current situation to inculcate the habit of book reading for parents and schools is an important question to ponder over. Parents need to inculcate this habit in themselves and their children. As the quotes goes, “actions speaks loader than words”, the children learn more by watching than by saying. Therefore, parents who want their children to be literate should first adopt the habit of reading books themselves.
There is also a dire need of taking measures at the government level to promote the trend of literacy in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The writer is a Gilgit-based human rights activist and columnist. Currently, he is associated with HRCP as the regional coordinator Gilgit-Baltistan. He can be reached at israrhrcpglt@gmail.com
