The 37th International Kolkata Book Fair came to an end on Sunday with a sea of humanity thronging the fairground to soak in the final hour of festivity. Failing to resist the temptation of a visit to the book fair on the last day, the crowd braved the transportation woes and the crammed environment to join in the jamboree.
On Sunday, the book fair turned into a huge adda zone with young boys and girls taking a recess from their usual engagement with books. For the people gathered at the fairground, the food park selling items like Biriyani, Chaat, Roll and others turned out to be the leading-crowd puller. Coming from Moynagar, Sujoy Mukherjee a student preparing for IAS exam, said: “For me, book fair means endless enjoyment. It is not only about books but the things surrounding it. Be it food, paintings or songs, these are part and parcel of a fair like this.”
Despite food items priced at higher rates, a long queue was spotted at Ali Baba, an eatery famous for its Mughlai dishes. “The kids are always up for a quick bite and the food park is selling almost all the regular items. A fair of any kind is incomplete without an appealing food park,” a homemaker Shalini Malhotra said while ordering Biriyani for her family members.
Another section of young generation was seen enjoying the adda sessions without giving a fuss about eating. Sitting with her college friends in front of the Bangladesh pavilion, a college student said: “Around this time of the year, it is the best place to hang around with so many things to look at and to talk about.” When asked about the topics that did the rounds, a college student said: “We wholeheartedly discuss whatever comes to our minds. The atmosphere here gives us the freedom to express on issues that are currently prevailing in our society.”
Drawing attention of the onlookers, young singers and musicians equipped with guitars and portable percussion instruments like bongo and tambourine were found putting up small jam sessions at the fairground. Joining this bandwagon of bonhomie, solo artists singing Baul songs gave good competition to these street-smart city musicians. However, for bookworms, buying fresh copies of the must reads at the last minute remained their top priority. “Every year, I come to book fair only to buy books. Its a celebration of reading and writing rather than only hanging around and eating,” a private school teacher said.
“Book fair is like a crazy insect which starts bugging at this time of the year. I have a very special affinity for books and I have already bought a bunch of books this year,” a girl in her 20s said before rushing to the cash counter to get the final hour’s 20 per cent discount.