Growing up in Srinagar, Maumil Mehraj, 28, noticed that many women enjoyed reading but rarely got a chance to discuss what they were reading. As a writer and researcher and a former teacher of English, talking about literature and books has always been important to her. In June, she returned home after living in Delhi for five years and launched The Reading Circle, a community-led literary initiative that brings women together through literature and conversation.
Reclaiming Space
For centuries, the women of Kashmir have been central to transforming the political, cultural and literary landscape of the region. Literary giants like Lal Ded, Habba Khatoon and Arnimal, and political figures such as Kota Rani, Didda and Begum Jahan have shaped Kashmir’s identity as a culturally vibrant and intellectually robust society, where women were treated with dignity and equality. The onset of militancy in the late 1980s disturbed the social fabric and eliminated women’s agency and access to public spaces. “There are very few public spaces where they can come together to discuss literature in a thoughtful and accessible way,” says Mehraj.
The Reading Circle is open and free to all women readers, and sessions are held weekly. Participants include students, professionals and people who simply enjoy literature. Members encourage one another’s writing, recommend books, and celebrate each other’s milestones. Sheeba Shafaq, an academic and writer, says, “I am an avid reader and this informal space for women like me gives a safe place to read, speak and think.”
About 20 women, in age group 16-60, show up every Saturday for the 2-hour session at Kabo boutique hotel in Wazir Bagh. Rakshanda Bhat, a communications professional working in the development sector, says, “It is a space where people feel a sense of belonging. It gives you the feeling of being seen.”
Participants engage in discussions not only about literature but also issues of political, social and personal relevance. “Women who join this space do have some sort of privilege and mobility at home,” Mehraj says. “Here, members read, listen and debate without judging one another.”
Every week, a text is selected and shared with members in advance. Some of these have included The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, A Pair of Silk Stockings by Kate Chopin, and Joan Didion’s On Keeping a Notebook. A moderated discussion takes place. The emphasis is not on arriving at a particular interpretation but on encouraging close reading and curiosity. The conversations are centred on a poem or short story, which can stir debates about history, ethics, memory and everyday life in ways that are both intellectually rigorous and deeply personal.
The Reading Circle also organises creative writing workshops, which Mehraj usually leads. Through these workshops, the members develop critical thinking, build collaborative abilities and learn constructive criticism, explains Mehraj.
She is hopeful of building a sustained literary community. “Alongside our weekly sessions, we hope to expand our workshops, collaborate with writers and institutions, and create more opportunities for people to engage with literature, writing and ideas in thoughtful and accessible ways,” she says.
Bilal Gani is an academic and freelance writer based in Kashmir.