A small fledgling community library in Chennai watched over by shopkeepers
A horde of details about a tiny little library at East Mada Street in Thiruvanmiyur are hanging in the air, but is has been pulled out of the back room, and thrust into the glare of public attention -- and that is indeed commendable. This library’s physical design raises questions about its longevity. It is wooden and cannot be left in the open during rains. When the skies tear up, it can scoot to the shelter of a tarpaulin canopy installed primarily for two wooden benches made of discarded wood and a wooden chair. Even if the skies are clear, it is not all-clear for this library at night. “The library will be kept back inside a local’s parking area in the night. And brought back in the morning,” says Dhanya Rajagopal, who is hoping for this temporary library to become a permanent one and rolling away ever boulder in the way of achieving that goal. Dhanya, architect and urban planner, is among the prime movers behind Project Thiruvanmiyur Mada Street, an effort to reimagine the Mada streets around Marundeeshwarar temple. The two-day event launching the Project birthed the library. It is integral to a space next to the temple tank that would be the nucleus of an exercise to not so much change the space as add a reason to it for people to patronise it as a social congregating point.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Wait for that perfect moment, when all favourable factors are in alignment, and you are waiting indefinitely for something that is non-existent, and at best rare, as rare as a seven-planet parade . A horde of details about a tiny library at East Mada Street in Thiruvanmiyur are hanging in the air, but it has been pulled out of the back room and thrust into the public glare -- and that is commendable indeed. This library’s physical design raises questions about its longevity. It is wooden and cannot be left in the open during rains. When the skies tear up, it can scoot to the shelter of a tarpaulin canopy installed primarily for two wooden benches made of discarded wood and a wooden chair. Even if the skies are clear, it is not all-clear for this library at night.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Hindu — Top.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from The Hindu — Top
