A TRAVEL AND A BOOK MAKES A PERPLEXING COMRADE “

The Backpackers Group

My backpack always carries a book, no matter where I travel. For a solivagant like me, a book is an essential companion. Many of my trips have been solitary, often without meeting new people. Long train and bus journeys can be lonely, and during those times, a book becomes a trusted friend and a source of comfort.

The Unbreakable Bond with Books

I love books! Books have always held a special place in my heart. I love them so much that I once cut ties with a friend who borrowed my book and never returned it. He didn’t even bother to apologize! Lesson learned: never lend your books to just anyone. People don’t always understand how much you cherish your books. I find people who read books incredibly attractive—not just those who read, but those who savor and recommend them. Some may stereotype book lovers as nerds, but trust me, book lovers are the coolest people around. And even if they are nerds, what’s wrong with that?

A Childhood Nurtured by Books

I’m grateful to my parents for instilling a love of reading in me from an early age. Unlike some who proudly proclaim they don’t read, I was raised with storybooks from the first grade. Our house is filled with books, and as we’ve grown, so has our collection. Reading has become an integral part of who I am.

A Memorable Journey with Jules Verne

Two years ago, during a trip to North India (Darjeeling, Sikkim, and Calcutta), I took my Amazon Kindle Device along, as always. I was reading Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth, and that story became a significant memory of my trip. The book kept me engaged throughout the long train journey, while everyone else slept. Verne’s words transported me to the center of the Earth, making the journey anything but boring.

The Timeless Appeal of Classics

I have a deep love for classic literature. While many contemporary stories focus on sensational content to stay popular, classics take us through different times and places, offering adventures and insights into human nature. These books were written to share knowledge and understanding, not just to attract readers or commercialize stories. In my experience, only a small percentage of modern books are exceptionally well-written.

THAT’S THE THING ABOUT BOOKS. THEY LET YOU TRAVEL WITHOUT MOVING YOUR FEET “

JUMPA LAHIRI

The Ritual of the Chennai Book Fair

The Pongal holiday season has always been synonymous with the Chennai Book Fair for me. Since the second grade, my parents have taken us to this event every year, spending our saved money on books. Some people laughed at my parents for investing in books instead of gold, but I’m thankful they had the wisdom to prioritize reading.

Books have shaped me into a better person. Along with cartoons, cycling, and my dogs, books taught me responsibility and empathy. Few people, apart from my parents and teachers, have influenced me positively. Even now, I sometimes feel out of sync with the world around me. But books and travel have taught me how to navigate life, respond to situations, and use words wisely.

The Healing Power of Books

Even when I was bedridden, when I thought I am going to die and not going to go back to being normal. I started to believe in recovery while reading “Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Books can turn you into anything you want and can turn you into anyone you want. So does experiences. Once you have seen how death feels like at a young age, it’s hard for you to get back to the time you weren’t. You think differently, you look differently at world and your preferences change. Not everyone can understand you. Things that used to be important for you is not important to you anymore. Things change a lot. You can’t understand people around you and people around you think you are heavy headed and selfish. But, then when you travel and read stories and novels, you get to know you are not alone. You will find someone just like you, not so close to you but he or she is somewhere far away. But exist.

Reading can’t be as fun as watching a movie to many but it can be the best companion when you travel alone or if you are around a group of unproductive people or if you are left alone. Just as a solivagant needs shoes, they also needs a book.

Don’t Miss the Chennai Book Fair

If you’re in or around Chennai, don’t miss the Chennai Book Fair that happens every year during the month of January or February at Nandhanam YMCA. The fair is open from 11 AM to 8 PM. Bring your family and friends, explore the bookstalls, and grab the books that interest you. Even one book can make you a little better than you were yesterday.