A Park In Manipur Made Meaningful By Gaiety

Periodically manicured, Halang Park, located about 16 km north of Ukhrul, the closest district and 98.5 kms north-east of Imphal, the state capital of Manipur, is always perinially bathed with the picturesque. Now it has also become meaningful.

A choicest section of this 6-acre, open-park, locally known as Zingkat Wonra, has recently sprouted four, free-standing dovecote-like structures, in blossoming red, distanced about eighty-hundred metres apart. Though the avifaunae, odonates and lepidopteras that mill about this communally adorable recreational spot are probably welcome to peek in, these ¨C the mini-libraries ¨C are meant to interest and encourage reading habits among the natives, specially those who are in dire need of reading or academic materials. That these entities are paired with hand-hewn, three-seater, matching cerise bamboo-benches - a nice touch - lend a subtle nod to the bibliothecary air, that's being promulgated, beckoning on-spot trials.

The mini-libraries at Halang Park

Genesis Of The Red Libraries : Social Media to Social Work

"I had seen some pictures of mini-libraries - not exacyly the same but maybe something similar, a long time back in one of my social media platforms. And I had actually forgotten about them, so many keep on coming, you know", disclosed Halang-born, Gaiety Chamroy, an Economics grad from Christ University and the ideator of this project.

Some of the group members at the inauguration.

Apparently, an strong affinity for her community and their betterment constantly informs her being. It was during one of those moments of yearning to contribute to the improvement of her community, perhaps fuelled by a little respite from office-preoccupations accorded by the sudden lockdown, that those images began to make impact-worthy sense. She had known local-inhabitants to be particularly inarticulate when they move to other states for higher education, and jobs, attributing it to the lack of holistic education. Hence these mini-libraries: "To foster reading habits and inculcate the importance of applied education among today's youths, so that they can be equipped with the necessary soft-skills to function effectively in the real world", explained a concerned Chamroy. Stuck in Kerala, her place of work at that time, she immediately dialled, Yaorei Horam, also a Halang-native, who's currently pursuing law in Delhi, to discuss its potential. The two of them then reached out to their closest friends and managed to rope in fourteen more enthusiasts. They, all of whom who are either still studying or in their early careers, pooled in to raise the threshold-fund.

Gaiety Chamroy, the ideator of these mini-libraries.

Parking Value

This park, a community centre of sorts, besides witnessing gatherings even from neighbourhood villages, specially on Sundays, is immediately close to 3 schools and there are three more in the neighbouring villages. Surprisingly, none of them have a thriving library and the local-church library-facility has fallen to disuse.

Moreover, most household environment is not conducive to immersive reading, in contrast to the park's idyllic setting. So this libraries comes across as a much needed community necessity and in no better place than this park.

Community Comes Together

Subsidized pricing from carpenters & material suppliers and volunteer-workers, saw the project to be completed within a manageable overshot. After formally inaugurating it, in the presence of community-elders, the six core-members decided to hand it over to the local Halang Youth Council, of which Chamroy, now settled in Ukhrul, is a member, for day to day operations, maintenance and security.

Some of the group members at the inauguration.

Requests placed by the committee to local school-principals to allow their teachers to hold open-air classes here as per convenience, has met enthused confirmations. There are future plans to hold storytelling sessions and perhaps book-report, writing competitions to energize library usage.

A sudden urge to smarten the library-vicinity with iron-benches as both a cosmetic and durable addition, on experiencing an overwhelming response, has been backed by a quickly-found donator of the entire requisite raw-materials.

A Library Needs Its Books

Right now, honestly, the gathering of reading-materials is proving to be demanding. About 500 books, at 120/130 book capacity per unit, should make it look well-stocked. Local newspapers - People's Choice, The Sangai Express, have been approached to send in complimentary editions; Hueiyen Lanpao and Aja (Tanghkhul) has committed. While Ukhrul-based, bookstore, P¨¡sei: The Book Thing has sent a small lot, similar ones from Imphal like The Readers Book Store - a collective run by PG students and researchers, Ukiyo Books and Ingenix Educare are expected to contribute soon. A supply from Raja Ram Mohan Roy Foundation, which has been approached, if achieved, will certainly be a windfall.

The mini-libraries at Halang Park

"Yeah we'd like to replicate these in nearby villages", said a hopeful Chamroy, to a relevant query, "but now we are actively seeking donations for books - fiction/non-fiction, magazines/periodicals on any subjects/ topics. Please tell all those you know (laughs)". Even her mirth is laced with resolve.