Every Saturday in Bengaluru, book lovers from across the city meet up at the famous Cubbon Park to read books. Two friends, Shruti Sah (professional baker and marketeer) and Snehanshu (co-founder of the writing app YourQuote) came up with the idea to transform green spaces into reading hubs and hence, they came up with Cubbon Reads. They started this initiative in January 2023. Today, their official Instagram account @cubbonreads has over 47K followers.
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At the start of Cubbon Reads, there were only 6 readers. But now, large groups of people are spotted at Cubbon Park from 9 AM to 2 PM every Saturday. They put a sheet over the green grass, lay down with their books, snacks and water, and just read. You don’t even need to be a part of a circle. You can be alone and arrive with your books to spend a good time reading under the sun and there will always be space for you.
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In fact, not just books. People are now also arriving with their paints and canvas to unleash their creativity. There are some who sit with their laptops and finish their assignments and students who sit with their books and notebooks trying to finish their homework.
And now, in just a little less than a year, there are approximately 70 Reads chapters worldwide. In India alone, Reads chapters can be found in Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kochi, Goa, Ahmedabad, Vijayawada, Puducherry, Thrissur, Srinagar, Cuttack, Nagpur, Guwahati, Shillong, Jaipur, Surat, Siliguri, Ranchi, Lucknow, and other cities.
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Internationally, you’ll find Reads chapters in Kuala Lumpur, Amsterdam, Melbourne, London, Dubai, Paris, Johannesburg, Seattle, Boston, and New York City, reported The New Indian Express.
“Cubbon Reads became popular because, unlike other book clubs, our community is built on the tenet of anti-hustle, reading for pleasure rather than productivity. Our idea was to make reading a more public activity. We don’t prescribe what to read, how to read, or what one should feel from reading something — it’s all about an individual forming their own experience and opinions through the act of reading,” said Shruti Shah.
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Bengaluru is a bustling city but it can be a very lonely city too. It’s because of communities like Cubbon Reads do people find other like-minded people, and develop friendships and long-lasting relationships! 🙂