Delhi Book fair a sign of relief for book lovers

Pallavi Bhardwa

Delhi is a place for all sorts of people belonging to various cultures and religions but one thing that binds South Delhi to West Delhi and North Delhi to East Delhi and vice-versa is the feeling of being one, the feeling of being a Dilliwala. We people do everything together whether it is about marches, food festivals, art and culture programmes or about reading books. As monsoon makes the Delhi’s heat a little bearable a book lover’s heart too takes a sigh of relief when the Delhi Book Fair arrives. It is no doubt a bibliophile’s paradise.

Delhi Book Fair shall be a nine day affair from August 29, 2015 to September 6, 2015 and the timings are scheduled from 10 am to 8 pm thereby, giving everyone sufficient time for book hunting.  Like every year the venue shall be the same i.e. Hall No’s 8, 9,10,11,12 of Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

            The annual event gives a chance to book lovers to catch up on what they otherwise miss out because of the closure of several book shops. The event assumes greater significance as it not only provides the book-lovers a chance to see and savor general and specialized books but also gives them a peep into the things they must look out for next year.  This year the theme for the book fair is skill development, which is jointly decided by the Federation of Indian Publishers and India Trade Promotion Organization. 

The theme is in close association with today’s youth who needs a strict guiding in not only knowledge but also in skills to be a full package of success. It also promotes Prime Minister Modi’s ideal scheme of Make in India and skill development in youth. What can guide the young generation better than books.

The products that would be on display would be Publishers, Sellers, Distributors of Books, Periodicals and Magazines, Manufacturers and Dealers of Teaching Aids and Computer Software.

            

Though, books and book shops have experienced a deep low in the recent years with the advent of audio and visual mediums.  People prefer audio books and pdfs over books yet nothing can replace a hard cover with pages bound together and the eccentric smell a new bound book gives. No one can forget those library books which were specially bound in hard cover and the rustic smell they gave.

            With a drop in people’s love for books even relationships are suffering as Gulzar appositely says in his poem.“Kitabein Maangne, giraaney, uthaaney key bahaane rishtey bante they. unka kya hogaa…..

Wo shayad ab nahi hongey!