COVID-19: Live streaming of poetry & book reading sessions

Kolkata: Two prominent literary figures, exploring different genres of work, have recited their work from home live-streamed for thousands of book lovers who cannot attend book reading sessions, poetry recitals and art events in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

"We will post a video of a short reading by an author at 8 pm... we want you to end the day with good thoughts! Today we have a writer without whom the lit meet is incomplete!! Watch this space," said the Facebook post of the organisers of an eastern-region based annual literary meet.

On April 8, poet-lyricist Srijato Bandyopadhyay recited a short poem in Bengali on that page and the recital got lakhs of views.

"Reclining against the pillow, I watch the overcast gloomy sky as the roads are flooded," Srijato read out the lines of one of his poems in Bengali, penned earlier to capture the gloominess, the forlorn spectacle of a city during rains.

Author Ruskin Bond read out one of his poems on the same slot a day earlier with his home as background.

"It is a small poem penned not so long back," Bond said and kept reading the poem which has phrases like "light the fire", "bend to touch the flower", "bend to touch a child".

The reading had over 2.5 million views, with one YouTuber gushing "it is such a refreshing feel to see and hear Ruskin Bond read out a poem from his room."

A well-known book store has also hosted a live book reading session on its Facebook page.

The facebook page posted videos of live session and poetry reading of school children and videos by eminent personalities recommending certain titles which can be read by bibliophiles at home.

"The digital platform has given us a great opportunity to hear the discussion on arts, literature and contemporary issues in this hour of confinement. I can choose and see the show and even if I miss one segment, I can catch up with that by clicking on the link later," Riya Sen, a post-graduate student of Presidency University said.

(PTI)