Are You Lit? It’s an event celebrating books, bookworms, and authors and promoting reading among all age groups and languages. The Internet best remains only a source of information; it cannot replace book reading or stimulate the mind; on the contrary, reading enhances imagination. PM Modi has also encouraged book reading through his speeches and Mann Ki Baat. Literature cuts across mental, social, geographical and cultural boundaries and is so strong in its impact that it can create a revolution. As Jhumpa Lahiri says, “That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.”
Literature is the safe and traditional vehicle through which one learns about the world and passes on values from one generation to the next. It is a part of mainstream society, yet unfortunately, the magic of reading and literature is getting overshadowed by technology. It’s time that literature, good reading content, gets its due power back.
On January 28 & 29, 2023, a humble beginning is a two-day fest at Courtyard by Marriott Gurugram organised by TSP, The Stories People & SUBURB, Gurgaon’s very own magazine. At this stage of booming screen technology, gatherings like Are You Lit? open doors for young authors and readers apart from adults to peep into the world of words cutting across language and cultural barriers. Through the event, the organisers, from media and communication backgrounds with over two decades of outstanding experience, like to connect with the masses to promote the habit of reading and its importance. Literature is not just a subject to be studied from a scholarly perspective. It’s essential to understand and appreciate life, say the organisers.
Books, literature, stories, biographies, self-help books, and fiction nourish the mind, opening minds to new acceptance and broader horizons. And more, it must be accessible to all age groups and different languages. “Stories that we carry in our head about ourselves greatly craft our behaviour. It would not be wrong to say that while reading a book, we live several lives, experiencing different characters and their emotions, and it makes us more humane,” says Vineeta Jerath, Founder & Editor of SUBURB.
Each begins by building the story about the self in mind, and others mirror the same storytelling. Manifestation happens depending on how closely one resonates with the story an individual has created in mind. We all have a story waiting to be unleashed and heard. The literature and reading tame the story extending our horizon and making our vision more precise, helping us to see our surroundings better. It is hard to be lonely for long in a world of words. Even if you don’t have friends somewhere, you still have language, and it will find you and wrap itself around you, and suddenly, there will be a story to live in.
“Storytelling is an art, a soft skill very much a part of the life of people in different age groups and professions. A CEO must be an excellent storyteller to impress upon his tribe as crucial as it is for a school teacher to keep the children engaged in a boring lesson,” says Vishesh Prakash, Chief Content, The Stories People, about the vastness and relevance of the subject.
Literature has also been an extension of society and mirrors the times and ages. Are You Lit aims to bring all stakeholders under one platform to push reading habits, discuss the relevance of classics in current times and dwell over questions like why the sale of crime fiction has significantly shot up in the last few years. The power to be found between the pages of a book is formidable. Books are essential for the mind, heart, and soul. The content generated is a direct reflection of society. It’s time that Indians especially go back to reading its incredible literature, chronicles and more waiting to be explored. “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” – J.K. Rowling.
What is Are You Lit and what is its purpose? Please visit tel u