AT THE INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR 2020

The International Book Fair 2020 concluded at the Pragati Maidan yesterday. This is an annual affair. The theme this year was Mahatma Gandhi, though very few stalls sold books written by Mahatma Gandhi. Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, to whom goes the credit of publishing all the works of Gandhiji, was also conspicuous by its absence. 

It is a general perception that people have lost interest in books these days. However, I was surprised when I could not get to buy quite a few books during my visit to some of the stalls. When I enquired at the stall of Bihar Rajbhasha Parishad, Patna on the concluding day yesterday, the person manning the stall informed me that the complete stock of books written by noted writer such as Phaneshwar Nath Renu, Ramvriksh Benipuri and Shivpujan Sahay that they had brought at this book fair had sold out. People still prefer to read established writers rather than giving new writers a try. Premchand still sells more than any other Hindi writer. So is the case with renowned English writer. As a result all Hindi publishers publish Premchand’s collection of short stories in a bid to get maximum return.

It was also interesting to note that religious books were distributed free of cost by a number of publishers and the publication wing of various religious order. I collected quite a few of these but found them of not much use. These are efforts at indoctrination which blunts your ability to think critically, more so in present times when people readily accept forwarded messages and clippings without verifying their authenticity.