The habit of reading has unfortunately been on the decline over the last couple of decades, with new swanky gadgets taking the place of our good old books. If you're looking to get back to your reading habit or would like for foster it for the first time ever, we've got the perfect place you should check out in Hyderabad.
Pause Library run in tandem with Mental Health Organisation Pause for Perspective in Begumpet houses an extensive collection of picture books and chapter books centered around self awareness and mental health. We found some unique finds on subjects like consent, boundaries and sadness, here. What's super cool is that sensitive and complicated topics are depicted through simple to understand picture books meant for both children and adults. The illustrations are eye-catching and often speak about heavy topics with empathy and openness in a bid to validate the reader's life experiences.
The collection mainly highlights authors from marginalised backgrounds and different identity locations including queer, neurodivergent, disability affirmative and anti-caste ones. The idea is to have people feel included in a space where they can discover and feel at home with their identity - regardless of what it is.
You will often find people hanging out at Pause Library in between their therapy sessions or over coffee. The cosy lounge is welcoming, with folks often describing it as a calm, safe space. Do check out the Pause Cafe when you visit - the vegan kitchen serves beverages like filter coffee made with homemade Soy and Almond milk. They also have staples like Rice and Rajma, Roti with Curry and other vegan food.
Want to make new friends? You can attend one of their book reading sessions, where a small group of 5-8 people sit together with books of their choice. Since most of the books are just 5-10 pages long, it gives readers an opportunity to mull over the ideas presented, in detail.
Pause Library's team also conducts book reading sessions at schools in marginalised neighbourhoods. While all their books are currently in English, the organisation soon plans to have them translated into Telugu and Dakhni so more children can access them easily.
A monthly subscription to the Pause Library is INR 200, which allows you to take home three books in a fortnight. You can also have them sent to your home via package delivery apps for a fee.
