Bengaluru’s ‘quiet reading’ movement has gone global

At Cubbon Reads and its growing list of chapters, one can bring books in any language or format and read in silence

A weekend book reading initiative from Bengaluru is going places. It has even won praise from prime minister Narendra Modi.

Most book clubs read and discuss pre-decided titles and authors. But at Cubbon Reads, one can bring any reading material of their choice, even a research paper. There is no bar on audiobooks and languages. Readers are free to pick any spot, be it a flight of stairs, a mat on the grass, or the shade of a tree. There’s no need to meet or greet anyone. One can simply settle down
and read for five hours.

Some attendees do talk, pose for photos with their books, and head out for lunch but only after the meetup.

What started as a weekend activity by two friends, with the simple aim of reading in the lush environs of Cubbon Park, has turned into a worldwide movement in less than six months. Cubbon Reads has six local chapters in Bengaluru, 35 across India, and around 15 internationally in cities like Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Johannesburg, London, New York, and Sharjah. Each chapter is run independently by volunteers.

How it began

Last December, Shruti Sah, 30, and Harsh Snehanshu, 33, cycled to Cubbon Park armed with a few books, some fruits, and a mat. They then posted photos of their outing on social media.

Week after week, friends joined in and seeing their posts, strangers began enquiring if they could too.

The number of participants jumped from six in the first official meetup in January to over 600 last Saturday, and their followers rose from 10,000 in mid-May to almost 29,000 now.

Their ‘Kinds of readers at Cubbon Reads’ reel piqued a lot of interest. It features readers leaning against a tree, day-dreaming, doodling, making notes, and holding a yoga posture. “Seeing people read in a park, under a tree, curled up with a book, invokes memories of childhood or of vacationing at one’s grandparents’ home,” says Shruti, a marketing professional, commenting on the “virality” of these posts.

However, the real catalyst is the concept itself. Snehanshu says quiet reading takes away the social anxiety of making small talk. That you can be yourself amid strangers and find motivation to meet a common goal in groups is comforting. "I am completing more books than I would earlier because I don't want to go back to the park carrying the same book again and again," he says with a laugh.

There is strength in numbers and people are finding it safe to read outdoors, Shruti adds.

Way forward

Some attendees do talk, pose for photos with their books,
and head out for lunch after the meetup.

Despite the silence, there’s a lot unfolding during the meetups, says Shruti. Some bring toffees and bookmarks to share with others. Couples have had reading dates. A mum brought her toddler to flip through picture books. Somebody turned up with a typewriter. It has even led to a spin-off chapter. Called Cubbon Paints, it’s a quiet painting community that gathers at the same time and location as Cubbon Reads. “Last week, over 80 painters showed up at the meetup,” she shares.

The duo wishes to keep Cubbon Reads informal and non-commercial. “Recently, a participant was promoting their brand of bookmarks. We intervened politely,” Snehanshu says.

‘Don’t talk loudly’, ‘don’t litter’, and ‘don’t sell’ are among some of their ethos. They are planning a website to list the chapters affiliated to Cubbon Reads to distinguish them from similar-sounding meetups that have come up. “It’s great but we can’t vouch for the ethos (of the meetups not affiliated to us). We would like our affiliates to follow our ethos” Shruti says.