Turning a new page

ON National Reading Day (June 19), which commemorates the death anniversary of P N Panicker, regarded as the father of Kerala's library movement, we did a quick scan of the city's reading scene. Things do look upbeat.

- APARNA NAIR

Thiruvananthapuram has long enjoyed a vibrant reading culture, being home to generations of erudite learners and educators. The State Central Library, now a prominent city landmark, was the earliest library, originally established within the Museum premises during the reign of Swathi Thirunal.

The present building was constructed during the time of Moolam Thirunal, and since then, it has played a key role in shaping generations of readers.

Another significant institution is the Chithira Thirunal Grandhasala, which today faces challenging times and is seeking corporate support. But when it was established in 1912 by Vayanashala Keshava Pillai, a stalwart of the Travancorean reading movement alongside Panicker, the library was at the forefront of a cultural renaissance.