Faculty members of Al Shifa College of Arts and Science, shared their experience on reading, with the students in ‘Ente Vayana: Adyapakarude Vayanaanubhavangaliloode’ organised by ‘Thani Malayalam Club’ in connection with National Reading Day, from 19 June to 1 July 21 via Gmeet.

On 21 June, the first day of the programme, Ms. Febeena. K., Assistant Professor of Malayalam, shared her experience on reading the book Susannayude Grandhappura by Shri. Ajay Mangatt. She explained how the book is woven with various writers, their works, their memories and experiences thereby students got to know more about different writers and their works by reading this book.

On 22 June, the next day, Mr.Rohit. R Head, Department of Commerce, introduced the writer Subash Chandran’s Samudrashila to the students. He elucidated that the novel depicted femininity as that which is in search of unconditional love, the epic of resilience and the ever-tolerant mother with reference to the prime character of the novel ‘Amba’.

On June 23, Ms. Sabina, Assistant Professor of English, shared her experience on the book And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini. The book talks about familial love from different characters’ perspective. She also introduced other works of Khaled Hosseini to the students and asked them to read the book which is available in the college library.

On June 24, the fourth day of the programme, Mr. Irshad Hamza, Assistant Professor of Arabic, talked about his experience on reading the book Ente Umma written by Firoz Khan Puthanangadi. It was a novel that portrays the sacrifices of a mother and the value of motherhood which is of great contemporary relevance.

On June 25, Ms. Saritha.k. Head, Department of English, shared her experience on the book Curse Stories by Rajathi Salma. The book is a compilation of eight short stories out of which a short story named Toilet was the focus. It talks about the difficulties faced by women in talking about her toilet needs in public places which is a marker that still the equality and freedom of women have miles to travel. This short story points towards the complications faced by women in day-to-day life.

On June 28, Ms. Ashidha. A.P, Assistant Professor of Commerce shared her experience on reading Iruttinte Aathmavu, written by one of the most famous writers in Malayalam M.T. Vasudevan Nair. The novel talks about the insane Velayudhan’s story who had been ostracized by the society as well as his family. She said that it is not merely a story of Velayudhan but of the helpless state of humans.

On June 29, Mr. Muhammed Noufal.M. Head of Economics Department talked about Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus by John Gray. This book is about the differences in the characters and attitudes of men and women. He said that one must read this book to understand how differently a man and woman should be treated. The book is a bible to married couple, he added.

On June 30, Mr. Deepak. A. G. Assistant Professor of Sociology, shared his experience on the book Pathonpathaam Nootandile Keralam written by P. Bhaskaran Unni. The book is divided into 16 chapters and he talked about the book with special reference to the chapter titled ‘Vasthram’. The changes that occurred in the perspectives, conceptual differences, traditions and customs during the past two centuries.

On 1 July, the last day of the programme, Principal Dr. P.K. Babu, talked about his experience of reading the Book At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop, the English translation of which is the booker prize winner of this year (2021). The book is about Alfa Ndiaye, a Senegalese man who, for a moment of his cowardice, finds a way out of his guiltiness through the macabre ritual. Written in the context of World War I, the novel tells the story of the friendship between a Senegalese soldier, Alphandie, and his friend Diop. He said the novel will give students a new reading experience with Diop pleading with Alpha to kill him, who was seriously wounded in battle, and Alpha, who retaliates by being mentally deranged and unable to perform the euthanasia. The Principal congratulated the Thanimalayalam Club and all the teachers who took part in such an event on the occasion of Reading Day and suggested that the students should also be given the opportunity to present their reading experience in such an occasions.