A song goes in my head while writing anything on books from bazigar::: '''''kitaabe bahut si padi hongi tumne ''''' ... Books have hold there own importance in life of so many people irrespective of their age, gender, location, period, thinking, religion, culture etc.It has managed to cross many borders naturally or artificially created over a period of time. Since time immemorial, sorry i do not know how long back ... man has been giving importance to reading books. Its been told by so many people be it family, friends and even enemies to read books.(a good link is there regarding books, have a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKVcQnyEIT8&feature=p)
Though I have not read much books apart from my text books prescribed in the class which i somehow managed, there are many books which i want to read. which i want others also to read during their leisure. Time and tide waits for none. so dont who cant manage time needs to do the same if they want to read books.Its a altogether a new world, and if we can get into the characters its like a fantastic feel by itself. Recently i read Novel Godan by Munsi premchand which was so touching and overwhelming that you feel as if you are dissolved into the caharacters. I have seen book fans who spent hours waiting for the book to get released and then finish it as fast as they can despite their busy schedule. There are other types also who read it slowly and leisurly even underlining beautiful line. rereading some contexts to get a clarity of mind.
Among one of my favourites of the lot is animal farm by George orwell , a thin yet thought provoking book on political sarcasm. I am not here to critise or propogate any book or book reading habits. Its just a general discussion about books.
I agree there is a lot of crowd which hates books., which looks down others and pity as if the readers are wasting there time. For some they really want to read the same but couldnt ... the reason i guess they themselves dont know.
Book reading is good for many reasons , the foremost i guess is increasing creativity of ideas, we learn not only from TV but from books also , its a good companion also as its like a friend and can be useful for passing time. Its a tool for entertainment, its a knowledge gaining asset, its a source of livelihoood for many like writers, editors, printers, shopkeepers. It helps in improving reading skills, vocabulary skills, it bring in a picture of society, its a mirror interpretation of thoughts. and so on ... list is long if i keep on adding and stating the same then may be i will get my name in guniess book of world records. Many benefits . i will say... it is less costly also .
But it has some demerits also . If we study in dim or low light it may effect our eyes, ultimately leading to revenue generation for doctors.It makes our mind away from real world by taking us to imaginary world. It depends on mind also the way it is perceiving things.
This is just a introduction on books... If i keep on writing only Preachings(gyan and gyan) then its of no use as its available in plenty at many places and in better ways. Some of the good reads are Prisoner of birth, kite runner, the thousand splendid suns, shantaraman, the revolutionary road, godan, rangbhumi,etc etc etc etc....
Here is a short poem on books ::: 
किताबो के बीच बीत गया बचपन
मगर अप्शोश करके क्या फायदा ......
पढ़ लिया अगर बचपन में अगर इतना कुछ
तो आगे पढने का क्या फायदा ........
किताबो से रख लिया लगाओ
अब नंबर ना आये तो क्या फायदा .....
मन नहीं लगता फिर भी क्या जरुरी था
मगर इतना मनमुटाव से क्या फायदा .......
जब पड़ना माना की इतना जरुरी था या है
तब नजरे चुराने से क्या फायदा .........
मन लगाकर पढ़े मन कितना भी
इम्तिहानो में जी घबराके क्या फायदा .......
पढ़ते पढ़ते लग गए माना आँखों में चश्मे ....
अब अपसोष करने का क्या फायदा ......
खिलाडी बनना था अगर .....
तो किताबो में सर खपाके क्या फायदा .....
दुनिया वालो को दिखाना जरुरी न था .....
जिम्मेदारी जताना जरुरी ना था ....
किताबे अगर अच्छा लगता ना था .....
तो जबरदस्ती गले बंधाना जरुरी न था ......
आँखों में हो अगर कोई सपना .....
तो आंखें झुकाना जरुरी न था .....
हो अगर राहे अलग ......
तो साथ जाना शायद जरुरी न था .....
आंखे हो चुकी हो जब नम......
तब मुस्कुराना जरुरी ना था .....
किताबो में अगर हो रूचि ....
तो गीत गाना जरुरी न था ....
जब मंजिल हो बगल में ही .....
तो दूर जाना जरुरी न था ....
.
हो गयी अगर कोई गलती ........
तो हँसी उड़ना जरुरी न था
अगर हो किसी की कोई मजबूरी ......
तो फायदा उठाना जरुरी न था
सपने जैसे भी हो देख लिए अगर....
तो उन्हें पूरा कर दिखाना जरुरी न था ...!!!
.
अगर आने वाली हो इम्तेहान की घड़ी...
तो पतंग उड़ाना जरुरी न था ......
अगर मन ना हो पढने का उसे .....
तो उसे पढ़ाना जरुरी ना था .....!!!!!!!
छुट गया जो हमारे हाथो से ....
उसकी यादो में दुखी हो जाना जरुरी न था!!!!
बीत गया जो भी पल ......
उसपे शोक मनानाजरुरी न था ......!!!!
