COVID-19: Live streaming of poetry & book reading sessions
"We will post a video of a short reading by an authorat 8 pm... we want you to end the day with good thoughts!Today we have a writer without whom the lit meet isincomplete!! Watch this space," said the Facebook post of theorganisers of an eastern-region based annual literary meet.
On April 8, poet-lyricist Srijato Bandyopadhyayrecited a short poem in Bengali on that page and the recitalgot lakhs of views.
"Reclining against the pillow, I watch the overcastgloomy sky as the roads are flooded," Srijato read out thelines of one of his poems in Bengali, penned earlier tocapture the gloominess, the forlorn spectacle of a city duringrains.
Author Ruskin Bond read out one of his poems on thesame slot a day earlier with his home as background.
"It is a small poem penned not so long back," Bondsaid and kept reading the poem which has phrases like "lightthe fire", "bend to touch the flower", "bend to touch achild".
The reading had over 2.5 million views, with oneYouTuber gushing "it is such a refreshing feel to see and hearRuskin Bond read out a poem from his room."
A well-known book store has also hosted a live bookreading session on its facebook page.
The facebook page posted videos of live session andpoetry reading of school children and videos by eminentpersonalities recommending certain titles which can be read bybibliophiles at home.
"The digital platform has given us a great opportunityto hear the discussion on arts, literature and contemporaryissues in this hour of confinement. I can choose and see theshow and even if I miss one segment, I can catch up with thatby clicking on the link later," Riya Sen, a post-graduatestudent of Presidency University said. SUSRG RG