Across fields of marigold, sugarcane and paddy, Nikhil Nimbalkar travels 45 km from his Udtare village to Rahimatpur in Satara district. In this quiet city, home to humble two-floor houses and businesses, the Hind Vachanalaya and Granthalaya enjoys a towering presence. From the steps of its staircases to the signs on its walls, the public library is a celebration of reading and knowledge, and the ways in which they can open the doors of one’s mind. It was in a video circulating on YouTube that Nimbalkar noticed phrases like “Savay laavu vaachanaachi, ughadu daare pragatichi [Inculcate a reading habit, and watch the doors to progress open for you]”. 

“I came across the video a month ago. In my village, no one has ever suggested that a public library be established. It tends to be noisy all the time, and I’ve often had to find a spot in the nearby forest to study in silence before crucial exams,” Nimbalkar says to mid-day. He is the newest addition to the Hind Vachanalaya’s 1,610-strong membership comprising students, the elderly who take great leisure in reading newspapers together, young children and working adults.