Armed with books, youths weed out anti-social elements

MP | 4 June 2023 | Alipurduar: The settings look straight out of a fairy tale, occupying the centre stage is a ground amid lush green tea gardens. As far as the eyes can see there is a vast expanse of greenery. 

The ground is dotted by rain trees with books scattered all over. One can see people sitting underneath the trees, lost in the pages of the books as the sound of guitars and mouth organs waft in the air. Welcome to the Sunday Art Haat, an open library located on the grounds of the European Golf Club of the Dima Tea Estate, Kalchini, Jalpaiguri. 

However, things have not been like this even a few years ago. The European Gold Club was founded by European tea garden managers in 1913. 

Over the years the club became defunct and the ground (golf course) fell out of use. 

Gradually antisocial elements took control. Even a year ago one could see antisocial elements indulging in activities like gambling and substance abuse in broad daylight on the grounds. 

However, all this changed when local youths led by one Nimesh Lama (25 years) decided to step in. 

Armed with books they tolled the knell for such illegal activities. Lama, a college graduate, is a resident of that locality. 

Lama said: “I didn’t have the physical ability to chase the goons out of the grounds. So, my friends and I decided to create a positive environment in the field so that such negative activities would automatically be weeded out. We collected books with our limited resources and set up an Open-Air Library on the grounds.” 

Thus was born the ‘Sunday Art Haat’ a unique library in Kalchini. As days went by, more readers started gathering beneath the trees. Eventually, the goons left the area. “We had started with 40 books and only 12-15 children from the local areas. 

Slowly, it became popular in the area, and now, every Sunday, we have more than 250 readers attending the art haat. We have around 400 books now in Bengali, Hindi, Nepali and English,” added Lama. 

Lama, who has always loved books since his childhood, spends his Sundays with books and book lovers. Apart from reading sessions, Lama organises recitations, plays, extempore events, yoga, songs, and debates at the venue every Sunday. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/armed-with-books-youths-weed-out-anti-social-elements-521011