Amid winter chill, denizens find warmth in books, fair sales hit Rs 2crore

Guwahati: Braving winter chills and foggy mornings, book lovers thronged the ongoing book fair at Khanapara, a cultural highlight of Assam organised by the Assam Publication Board. The fair has witnessed an unprecedented surge in purchases, particularly children’s literature in both Assamese and English. Books on the late singer Zubeen Garg have also emerged among the top sellers.Assam Publication Board Secretary Pramod Kalita said the 14-day fair, which began on Dec 24, has already recorded sales of over Rs 2 crore till Sunday. He attributed the surge to growing reading habits among children, encouraged by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s emphasis on promoting books last year. Kalita added that children’s participation in competitions at the fair — where winners are rewarded with cartons of books — has significantly boosted their interest in reading.“Since entry is free for school and college students, they arrive with their parents and enthusiastically buy more books. This is a great way to inculcate reading habits. Discounts have also been offered, with prices ranging from Rs 15 to several thousand,” Kalita said.Stalls at the fair feature works by renowned Assamese writers such as Prafulla Dutta Goswami, Munindra Baishya, Lila Gogoi, and Nabin Buragohain, alongside internationally acclaimed authors including Laszlo Krasznahorkai, Lafcadio Hearn, and Gabriel García Marquez.Kalita said books on Zubeen Garg have been major crowd-pullers this year, offering readers deeper insights into his life and legacy. “There are more than 60 books written on the singer, including Mayabini Rati’r Bukut by Debojit Bhuyan, Biswa Shilpi Zubeen Garg by Dulal Mishra, and Zubeen Garg: Geet Guwa Darshonikjon by Dhrubajyoti Das and Ujjwal Bora,” he said.However, he added that Pitrir Dristit Zubeen, authored by Garg’s father Kapil Thakur, has drawn the most attention for its intimate and authentic portrayal of the artist’s journey.With growing interest in Assamese literature, Kalita said efforts will be made to translate these works in the coming years, enabling readers outside the state to access and appreciate Assam’s diverse stories.Over 130 stalls have been set up at the Khanapara Veterinary Field, with publishers from across India, including 11 from Delhi and Noida, 17 from Kolkata, two from Mumbai, and one from Hyderabad.