Books help earn eternal treasure of knowledge, wisdom: Meshram at Gomti book fest

Books are a powerhouse of knowledge and wisdom, an eternal treasure which only multiplies with time and cannot be stolen by anyone. This was shared by principal secretary culture and tourism, Mukesh Meshram, during a session – ‘Importance of State and Society in Promotion of Books’ organized as part of Gomti Book Festival on Thursday.

Sharing an anecdote from his childhood when he was introduced to the world of books, Meshram shared that he was in Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh, his hometown. When he was in Class 5, he along with his friends found a chest in a part of the school. The trunk contained books. His teacher asked them to take the books if they wished to read them, and that is where his love for books began.

“We used to study from our course books, but this was the first time we received books apart from our syllabus, which we could enjoy without fearing our teacher getting angry if we did not read them properly. It was my first dive into the world of books,” said Meshram.

He also shared information about the digital detox practiced by a village in Maharashtra where fines are imposed on those found using digital devices like mobile phones and televisions after 7 pm.

“After sunset, children and youth roam around in groups to check that nobody is using any digital devices. They use the time to hold Chaupal, render Kirtans or to share various anecdotes,” he said.

He said that if at least one book is purchased and read by an individual every month it will help in personal growth and reduce stress and depression. “It is high time we understand the need for digital detox and depute the time for reading every day,” he added.

Other sessions held as part of the festival were – ‘Coins in Rivers: Indian poetry for contemporary times’ and another one related to the life of Captain Manoj Pandey.