Mayor Indrani Ponvasanth, Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan, Collector K.J. Praveen Kumar and Deputy Mayor T. Nagarajan, along with college students at the ‘Madurai Vaasikirathu’ campaign to create awareness among students about the importance of reading books, at Ezhuthanikkara Street on Monday.
| Photo Credit: R. ASHOK
Ahead of the Madurai book festival commencing on September 5, parliamentarian Su. Venkatesan led an awareness campaign here on Monday.
Speaking there, Mr. Venkatesan said, the campaign titled ‘Madurai Vaasikirathu,’ was intended to promote the habit of buying and reading books among the public especially youngsters.
“Though book fairs are organised in several other districts, States and even countries, Madurai carries a significance in bearing the long history of writing and printing,” he noted.
“Ezhuthanikkara theru, where we stand right now is the place where people who wrote on the palm leaves lived. The name itself suggests that a thousand years ago, books were created by writing on palm leaves,” he added.
Another importance the place carried was the Vinayagar Temple on the street called ‘Akkasalai Vinayagar Kovil,’ which referred to the place where coins used by Pandyan kings were minted there, Mr. Venkatesan said.
“Even if you do not read books, I request you to at least visit the book fair and buy at least one book,” he appealed to the public.
Madurai District Collector K.J. Praveen Kumar, speaking there, said, in the previous generation since there were no mobile phones and modern gadgets, there was no need for an awareness, but the current generation, sticked to their mobile phones round the clock, needs awareness.
“Reading books should not be a temporary habit but something we continue to practice throughout our lives,” he opined.
Madurai Mayor Indrani Ponvasanth, among others were present during the event.
Published – September 01, 2025 07:49 pm IST
