Wyra Study Circle holds book reading sessions for a record 780 weeks

The book reading sessions began on January 3, 2010 and are held every Sunday from 6.30 am to 9 am, according to study circle founders

Khammam: Why do we read books? There could be many answers such as to gain knowledge, develop language skills, understand the world, and so on, and some state health benefits like reducing stress and enhancing mental health.

The founders of Wyra Study Circle and those associated with it believe book reading is a revolutionary act. Their belief is based on the lives and ideologies of German-born philosopher and revolutionary socialist Karl Marx, Russian revolutionary and political theorist Vladimir Lenin, and an Indian anti-colonial revolutionary Bhagat Singh.

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In addition to disseminating knowledge and spreading Left-wing ideology, Wyra Study Circle has created a record of sorts by achieving the feat of organising book reading sessions every Sunday for 780 weeks, uninterruptedly.

The book reading sessions started on January 3, 2010, when the study circle was inaugurated. The reading session takes place from 6.30 am to 9 am. Currently the fifth part of reading and discussion of a book Love and Capital, a story of Karl and Jenny Marx, penned by biographer Mary Gabriel is underway.

The study circle established by CPI (M) Khammam district committee is situated at Wyra CPI (M) mandal office and the party’s town secretary Ch Chalapathi Rao acts as its convener.

Speaking to Telangana Today, party State secretariat member Bonthu Rambabu said during the Covid crisis, the book reading sessions continued as the members wearing masks and maintaining physical distance, took part in the sessions.

The study circle team has persons of different age groups including those who have studied at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Osmania University and those who have a very basic level of education but are constantly learning from their practical experience.

Discussions that follow the book reading are subject-oriented. Study circles and groups were an integral part of the works of Marx, Lenin, and Bhagat Singh. Though there are several reasons behind the Telangana peasant armed struggle, the Andhra Mahasabha Grandhalaya movement laid the foundation for it, Rambabu said.

Besides the Sunday book reading, special seminars and conferences have also been taking place on people’s movements in the past as well as contemporary issues like farmers’ strikes in New Delhi and others. The study circle has been organising supplementary study circles.

Though the book reading sessions mainly focus on communist theories they cover a wide range of topics like Indian philosophy, Constitution of India, Indian National Movement, Vedas, Bhagavad Gita, Latin American developments, biographies of great personalities, and others, Rambabu added.