Ekamra Haat In Bhubaneswar Now Has An Open Library For Book Lovers

Bhubaneswar: The refurbished Ekamra Haat in the city has an added attraction of an open library for the visitors. People hanging out at the Haat have books for company now.

An out of the box idea, the library has been created from an old refrigerator with a glass door. It has been decorated with attractive with Pattachitra motifs to promote the idea of reading.  

The refrigerator library has about 200 books in Odia and English for children as well as adults. Anyone can pick up a book from the unmanned library and sit down on the grass or on the seats in the area.

The visitors can enjoy the food stalls serving different cuisines from across India and also indulge in shopping at over 50 craft stalls. The library also accepts books donated by anyone at the spot.

This library has been set up by BAKUL Foundation in partnership with the  State Institute for Development of Arts and Crafts under the guidance of the Department of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts.

It was  inaugurated by R Balakrishnan, chief advisor to the Chief Minister on the occasion of Children’s Day on Sunday. Shubha Sarma, commissioner-cum-secretary, Department of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts, Sisir Kumar Rath, member secretary, SIDAC and Sujit Mahapatra, founder, Bakul Foundation were present.  

Bakul Foundation  has been running a library movement in the state to promote reading with public  contributions. It has been attempting to bring books to public spaces and has set up a library inside Biju Patnaik Park also.

Ekamra Haat is equipped with an outdoor amphitheatre that hosts cultural  events among others. A mix of crafts, weaves, food and culture, Ekamra  Haat caters to visitors from all walks of life. It remains open from 10 am to 9 pm every day.