bengaluru greens walkers joggers fitness enthusiasts pet lovers cyclists cubbon park is everyones favourite the latest passion being rekindled in the sylvan surroundings is book reading thanks to cubbon reads a saturday morning event that seeks to reclaim the love for readingit all started very organically says harsh snehanshu curator of cubbon reads and an entrepreneur shruti sah the other curator and i used to cycle to cubbon park on saturdays since we enjoy reading we would just sit there and read itd set the tone for our weekend he says once i put up stories on instagram about what shruti and i had been doing a bunch of my friends wanted to join in as well says harsh soon he created cubbon reads a handle on instagram to update his friends about the reading trips cubbon reads had a modest beginning though at the first session on january 7 our friends showed up says shruti a communications professional in the second session only about six people came once just one person other than the two of us was there but it didnt affect us because we never intended on making it very big our core motive was silence in fact we were afraid that if it became too big people wouldnt be silent says harshhowever with aesthetically pleasing reels and stories on social media striking a chord with people cubbon reads has grown the 21st session on june 3 saw over 400 people turn up and read silently i stopped counting after 400 im sure there were more says harsh the event starts at 9am near sir mark cubbon statue in the park and goes on till 2pm the participants can come with whatever tools they want physical books ereaders tablets smartphones and even laptops discussion about books is not encouraged though some participants do end up striking a conversation by the time the session winds up those interested can just walk in and plunge into the books they have brought we dont even collect peoples data and there is no need to register reading that way is a rather intimate and personal affair says harshaccording to shruti cubbon reads has changed the way many approach reading there was this lady who told me that she was a reader but found it hard to finish a book but she finally did it since she could read more thoroughly at cubbon reads and also motivate herself to read through the week she says cubbon reads has also proved to be a safe space for many especially women since cubbon reads is a bigger community it gives you that setting of safetyinnumbers its the only time when i can lie down in the park and just read my book i dont feel like i have to be on my guard the whole time says anshuli a frequent participant weve seen people bring their babies their grandparents it has almost become a place you can come to with your whole family