In This Kerala Village, Books Are Available For Free To Read In Roadside Nests

It's not surprising that in a state with over 96 percent literacy rate, you get to see free-to-use bookstalls by the roadside. The nest-like structures on a stilt are not placed in a developed city but in a remote village. The small Kerala village, Perumkulam, has several of these boxes waiting for their readers. It is the state's first "Pusthaka Gramam" or book village. There are books and newspapers neatly stacked into these nests and people can pick any book of their choice and read them leisurely. They, then, put them back into these boxes. Kerala Tourism shared the video of a “pustaka koodu” to mark World Literacy Day today.

The video showed a man picking up a book from the nest and reading on a bench placed strategically near it. The tourism department said the public bookcases are a “unique concept” and allow villagers to freely exchange or borrow books.

#DidYouKnow that Perumkulam, Kerala's first Pusthaka Gramam or book village, has several ‘pustaka koodu' or book nests? The book nests are a unique concept where public bookcases allow villagers to freely exchange or borrow books. #WorldLiteracyDay

©️ All India Radio News pic.twitter.com/pbOFnU5HTq

— Kerala Tourism (@KeralaTourism) September 8, 2021

It also highlighted the fact that Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India.

This culture of reading is not surprising in a State with an overall literacy rate of 96.2% (97.4% male literacy and 95.2% female literacy). #WorldLiteracyDay #KeralaTourism

— Kerala Tourism (@KeralaTourism) September 8, 2021

Many people praised the “Pusthaka Gramam” or book village concept as a “brilliant idea” to raise the level of education in villages.

Brilliant idea for education!

— PAUL GRANT (@123southwind) September 8, 2021

Another person said seeing this video made him understand the reason for Kerala's incredibly high literacy rate.

Now we know the reason for high literacy in Kerala

— suryanarayanan k (@4ssuri) September 8, 2021

Thanking the government, a third user said he had seen this book nests in western countries but did not know they existed in his own state.

Have seen this great concept in western countries. Never knew it existed in our state. Thanks @KeralaTourism

— Jayakrishnan (@jayakrishnan_r) September 8, 2021

Some users lauded the Kerala Tourism initiative and said these book nests looked “so cool”.

So cool

— subash eswar (@subasheswarpt) September 8, 2021

Nice initiative ❤❤❤????

— ????iiii (@IMviis) September 8, 2021

Great ❤️

— Ramsundar IFS (@Ramsundar_IFS) September 8, 2021

The United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) declared September 8 as World (International) Literacy Day in 1966 and it's been observed since 1967. This year, the event is being celebrated with an aim to narrow the digital divide.