Importance of Book Fairs
REMEMBRANCE: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14, 1992
✍️INDIA is passing through a period of transformation at a fast pace. However, no transformation is possible without literacy as literacy is viewed as a potent tool to bring about the desired social changes at varying levels and with differing intensity.
Though the fundamental purpose of holding such book 📚 fairs as Patna Book Fair,is to generate bookmindedness, to provide an opportunity to librarians, publishers,authors and buyers to interact,it simultaneously promotes literacy and contributes to national integration and even in developing universal understanding.
At a time when there is upheaval all over, the role of the book fairs becomes all the more important especially when every government has been endeavouring to promote literacy. Books 📚 come as the magnificent equaliser- the greatest equaliser of all times. Afterall, books are not purchased on the basis of religion or caste of the author and the authors are not accepted by the publishers on caste lines but on the merit of the script, and its projected impact on people’s mind and hearts.
Book 📚 fairs are a platform of national integration or universal understanding where a common language is spoken and that is the language of knowledge and understanding, and these two build up the national character. This is of immense value especially for a vast country like India which has got so many faiths, languages and cultures, so book fairs here can play a very vital role- both for promoting literary and bringing the people of different faiths and cultures together and generate in them the feeling of oneness.
India does not have a common language of a common script but at book fairs, regardless of which part of the country or the world 🌎 it is held, people communicate with each other in one common language that of understanding. People come into the fantasy world 🌎 of books 📚 forgetting their differences or background, culture, language, class, caste, hatred and sensibilities.
Then there is a fun also at some book fairs. There are boys who come and evaluate their collection of papers in the form of lists/catelogues- girls who come with stars in their eyes, hunting for designs for their dream homes. Some just have a glimpse of beautiful photographs in the illustrated books 📚 on display, others linger over their decision to spend their savings. All this is fun and adventurous in one way or the other and knowledge is imbibed.
One may not buy any book at the first instance for paucity of funds or for lack of interest, but you definitely get attracted by the charm of books 📚 on a variety of subjects and may be that this very charm will compel you to visit the fair again sometime and buy a book.
How interesting it is for all the family members buying books 📚 together. The excitement amongst the children when they see the wonderful world 🌎 of books 📚 is always something to be seen to be believed. The people who visit the book fairs do not necessarily visit the bookshops. If you ask this question to the visitors 80 out of 100 will reply that they have come just to see.
We are not talking of textbooks. In fact we are very much against the display of popular textbooks at the book fairs unless there are some new publications and need to be promoted. Book fairs should be meant for non-conventional books 📚 which could provide additional knowledge and generate reading habits beside, of course, serving other objectives.
As such book 📚 fairs should not be treated as the venue for sale and purchase of books but as instrumenta in bringing peoples together and together with the common purpose of gaining knowledge which helps in differentiating between right and wrong.
“Knowledge leads to unity and ignorance to diversity,” says Swami Vivekanand.
Though there are other fora also, book 📚 fairs can work as the most effective platform for creating a congenial atmosphere for bringing an awareness about national integration and for promoting literacy– and both these are the needs of the hour. It is heartening to see that Patna Book 📚 Fair is becoming very popular.
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