It was an edition of many firsts for the 49th International Kolkata Book Fair, which kicked off at Salt Lake’s Central Park in Kolkata on January 22. From convenient commutes to the fairground to attractions that stood out, here’s a look at five ways this year’s Boi Mela was different.
Star power and much more
Celebrity writers — and non-writers — flocked to the fairground this year. It started with Amitav Ghosh inaugurating the fair and presenting Goutam Ghose with the Samaresh Majumdar Prize. Ghosh also signed copies of his latest novel Ghost Eye.
Actor Anirban Bhattacharya came out with his book Karubashanay and Anjan Dutt wrote his first memoir Anjan Niye. “I felt this was the right time to write a memoir. And as memoirs need to be honest, I think I have done justice to this book,” said Dutt.
Fans thronged the venue as stars descended on the fairground. Book enthusiast Sukanya Chakraborty said she waited in line for over an hour for Anirban Bhattacharya to sign her book outside Dey’s Publishing. And Sukanya wasn’t alone.
Beyond books
From star gazing to peep into the bioscope, this book fair offered a wide range of attractions beyond books. For kids, there were toy zones and museums. Film buffs got a glimpse of film memorabilia that went beyond just printed books. There were exclusive stalls for music, for astronomy, and for the history of Bengali cinema.
Indie books leave a mark
Hawakal, BlackLetters, BeeBooks came out with lesser-known publications that became a hit this time. Books like A Tree in My Village by Hawakal, Cycle-e Chander Pahar by BlackLetters flew off shelves. Book readers also showed immense interest in history. Colonial recordings like E.A Cotton’s Calcutta Old and New saw a revival in sales, along with books like Birds of Colonial Calcutta.
A glimpse into all things Argentine
Argentina was the focus nation this year to mark 175 years of cultural exchange between India and the Latin American nation. But nations like Ukraine, Cuba, Peru, and Russia all brought along rich cultural and literary heritage. Argentina also showcased live dance sessions inside.
Easy commutes, thanks to new metro line
Fair visitors for the first time got to use the east-west metro line, which helped them dodge crawling city traffic. Ratna Majumdar, a fair visitor for the last two decades, said, “The metro lines have helped me reach the book fair very easily without changing modes of transport too many times.”
