If you walk into a quiet Delhi cafe or a secluded studio on a rainy weekend, you might spot a group of young readers sitting together in complete silence, books in hand. There are no reading targets, no quizzes, and no pressure to have discussions over what they are reading. This is how the young are taking to the trend of slow reading that’s simple yet growing as a movement. On Book Lovers Day today, here’s how some reading enthusiasts across the Capital are coming together to hit the pause button.
While at its core, slow reading is all about intentionality, it also chooses depth over speed. So rather than rushing through chapters or skimming pages just to cross titles off a list, it encourages readers to savour every word especially by the new book lovers whose gentle pace removes the traditional barriers that often make book clubs feel exclusive. “The biggest thing that slow reading does as a concept is allow new readers to pick up a book without feeling intimidated,” explains Khushi Bagariya, a member of The Librarius Coven, the book club at Delhi University’s Gargi College. “With the new academic session beginning this month, a lot of freshers have come in who want to explore books but haven’t read much before. People often feel anxious joining traditional book clubs where everyone seems like an expert. Our slow reading sessions take that anxiety away entirely. You bring whatever you’re currently reading and go at your own pace. There’s zero pressure to finish a book. If you want to read just one chapter in two days, that’s completely okay.”
The best part about this trend, say the young, is that there are no intense literary debates or pop quizzes afterwards. Hence, it’s simply a step towards connecting with literature at an unhurried, natural pace.
Beyond inclusivity, slow reading is fast emerging as an essential act of mental self-care in a hyper-fast city. “This is because it is rooted in mindfulness,” says Priyanka Sachdeva, founder of the West Delhi-based reading community Brewed Tales, which hosts weekend slow reading sessions in her studio space to help readers reclaim reading as a mindful practice. Sachdeva adds, “Of late, people have made everything a competition, including reading. We even judge each other’s intellect based on who can finish a book the quickest! But, no one stops to ask if you’ve actually reflected on what you read, or if you paged through a chapter and truly pondered it. So it’s when you try reading slowly that you actually get to notice how your focus improves, your mind calms down, and your overall mental well-being gets a boost.”
The setting, too, plays a vital role in setting the tone for these quiet retreats. As Anushree Malik from Lodhi Reads explains how their location and Delhi’s current weather comes together to create an ideal slow-reading sanctuary: “Monsoon right now makes for the absolute perfect time for slow reading. When it rains, we move indoors to cozy cafe windows or quiet remote spaces with a hot cup of chai, and when the weather clears up, we sit amid the heritage and greenery of Lodhi Garden. There’s something deeply therapeutic about sinking into a physical book without touching your phone, just taking it slow and letting the surroundings anchor you.”
