A big crowd moves through a vast maze of books at the 22nd National Book Fair, currently underway at Balrampur Gardens. The fair has 120 stalls with 61 publishers from across India presenting thousands of books in various genres. From worldwide bestsellers to new authors, every visitor leaves with books at discounted rates.
(L) Manoj Singh Chandel, Convener, Lucknow Book Fair (R) Shashi Yadav’s calligraphy stall has became an instant favourite among visitors
This year, among the favourites are fresh releases by Arundhati Roy, Zadie Smith, Lily Brooks-Dalton, Eleanor Catton which are being picked by many at the fair. As every year, Hindi ghazals and poetry books are also a lot in demand. “Famous poets like Mirza Ghalib, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Sahir Ludhianvi and Jaun Elia are especially in demand. Hindi poetry lovers are also picking up works of Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Mahadevi Verma, Suryakant Tripathi ‘Nirala’ and Dushyant Kumar,” adds Faiz Raja, a bookseller.Rob, an American living in Lucknow, who was at the book fair with his family was spotted buying books on Indian culture for his six children. “It’s amazing to find authors writing from an Indian perspective, creating stories that are deeply rooted in Indian culture or that showcase the lives of Indian personalities. I feel they are insightful and enjoyable for children. I have picked up some such books for my children,” he said.A new-found fascination among book lovers is one for dark literature, according to the book dealers. “After the recent ban on Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses was lifted in India, the book has been in huge demand,” says Shubham Nathani, a stall owner, adding, “People have also been asking for the works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky, after his 80-page book White Nights went viral on the internet.”
BCCL
We have tried to bring as many new titles and genres as possible for the readers, and we are glad to see a strong footfall this year, especially of youngsters. We also have many parents coming with their children, which is a positive step towards promoting the habit of reading – Manoj Singh Chandel, Convener, Lucknow Book FairHandcrafted keepsakes add colour to the fairShashi Yadav’s calligraphy stall has became an instant favourite among visitors. Surrounded by colorful canvases, Shahsi, who’s come from Ayodhya, is making posters, bookmarks, and canvases customized with song lyrics and poetic lines. Shashi adds, “We have come to the Lucknow Book Fair for the first time and are getting a very good resposnce from people.”-Manas Mishra