Ever thought of getting lost in the pages of a good book inside a library while cruising on a meandering river? Doesn’t that sound poetic and beautiful? You can actually experience it now in the city of joy, Kolkata. In a first, the West Bengal Transport Corporation has launched a boat library on River Hoogly in collaboration with a heritage book store. The Young Readers’ Boat Library has more than 500 titles in Hindi and English across diverse genres. The library will take people on a three-hour-long trip along the river. It will first travel from Millenium Park to Belur Math and then return back to the starting point.
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The Boat Library Will Take People On A Three-Hour Trip Along The Hoogly River
Rajanvir Singh Kapur, MD, West Bengal Transport Corporation and Priti Paul, Director Apeejay Surrendra Group have virtually launched the first-of-its-kind boat library in Kolkata. According to an IANS report, Kapur has said, “The idea behind the Kolkata Young Readers’ Boat Library is that one can read from a good collection of books while appreciating the beauty of Kolkata from the floating marvel on the river Hoogly. The boat library would take people for a nice three-hour trip and there would be a half ticket for children and ‘Kanyashrees’ (girls aged 18 or below). People over 18 are also welcome.” The ticket price for the ride is ₹100 for adults and ₹50 for children. Kolkata also has a tram library that moves daily between Shyambazar and Esplanade, passing through the historic streets.
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Activities Like Storytelling, Book Launches And Poetry Sessions Will Take Place In The Library
The library will not only give bibliophiles a ride across the mighty river, it will also offer breathtaking views of the second Hoogly Bridge and the Howrah Bridge. Mind-boggling activities will also take place in the library, such as dramatised reading, storytelling, book launches, poetry sessions, music sessions and more. The boat is also equipped with a free Wifi facility. Priti Paul has said, “The river is the life-breath of Bengal and a waterway of tremendous sacred and cultural significance. We celebrate the river with this initiative and, further, reading and learning on the move will undoubtedly create an environment where children can celebrate and re-discover our history and roots as we make our way on board the floating library and delve into books through this educational-recreational endeavour to which we are all so committed.” For now, enjoy this virtual tour of Kolkata from the comfort of your couch: